After City's last two matches provided such thrills and spills, it was perhaps too much to ask for another high-octane encounter.

THAT'S MY BALL: City defender Barry Jones gets up to clear from Rochdale raider Tony Ellis, above, while York substitute Scott Jordan, below, makes a run at the Dale defence

The high swirling wind didn't help and it wasn't that City played especially badly.

But nor did they play well or at a tempo coming close to that realised against Torquay and Darlington that had spawned so many chances and such optimism.

The defence and an ever willing Barry Conlon apart, too many players failed to perform in a generally lacklustre affair.

The sense of frustration was made worse by the fact Rochdale, a team, who have tasted just one defeat in ten games, were there for the taking.

City were resolute and professional in the first half, their lead just about justified for a rigid rearguard action if not for any flowing, flamboyant football.

But after doing all the hard work, two lapses of concentration dashed high hopes and made such a dour game more difficult to stomach.

In right winger Chris Bettney, Dale always carried the sharper threat to goal, but a couple of teasing crosses and a flashing near post shot aside even he failed to pose a concerted threat.

Free-kicks offered perhaps Rochdale's best hope of breaking the deadlock but with Barry Jones and Mark Sertori a formidable barrier City looked relatively comfortable if only for the ball out of defence to leave a lot to be desired

To emphasise the lack of incident, City didn't carve out an effort on goal until more than 30 minutes had passed but at least when they did it brought rich reward.

Conlon chased down a long Matt Hocking punt into the corner and earned a free-kick when he tumbled as Dale defender Keith Hill, trying to usher the ball behind for a goalkick, hauled down the burly striker.

It was a decision that angered the Dale fans but City were quick to seize on their good fortune.

Wayne Hall floated in the free-kick and Jones, making a rare upfield foray, rose unchallenged to head past a flapping Neil Edwards for his first goal of the season.

Snippets of goalmouth action followed at either end but a John Williams effort emphasised the distinct difference between this and last Tuesday's match at Feethams.

Back then, with just two minutes left on the clock, Williams cut in from the left before unleashing a stunning piledriver into the Darlington net.

On Saturday and from roughly the same position, he skipped inside again but this time blazed his shot high into the stands.

The second-half offered little more to raise the spirits but no matter as long as City stayed in front.

Unfortunately, and just as confidence was growing that York could cope with anything Dale had left to offer, the home side equalised almost bang on the hour mark.

It was an avoidable concession.

Warren Peyton floated in a free kick that called out for a headed clearance but none was forthcoming. The ball continued on its unhindered flight until it struck Matt Hocking at the far post.

Graham Lancashire lunged forward, pouncing on the lose ball and sweeping it into the roof of the net.

Seven minutes later and the match was turned on its head as City found themselves a goal down.

There seemed little to fear when Bettney poached the ball from Christian Fox on the half-way line but as he poked the ball forward to Lancashire a retreating City were suddenly a man short.

Lancashire picked out his strike partner Tony Ellis with a sweeping pass and the frontman advanced into acres of space, steadied himself before slotting the ball past Mimms.

From playing in a gear just short of cruise control, City were suddenly chasing the game. The passing was sharper but so too were a now buoyant Rochdale as the game opened up.

Scott Jordan drove Conlon's knock down wide while at the other end Hocking was alert to sweep the ball off the foot of Ellis after again being played in by Lancashire.

City were left looking for another wonder strike to haul them level.

But it was Ellis who came closest to leaving a final impression when he banged a snap shot just wide of the meeting of post and bar as referee Keith Hill brought down the curtain on a Roses battle that was rarely more than a tepid Cold War.

Nationwide Division Three - Saturday, January 22, 2000

Rochdale 2, York City 1

YORK CITY: Bobby Mimms 6, Matt Hocking 7, Wayne Hall 6, Mark Sertori 7, Barry Jones 8, Christian Fox 6, Lee Bullock 7, John Williams 6, Barry Conlon 7, James Turley 6 (Marc Williams 81min), Andrew Dawson 5 (Scott Jordan 46min, 5)

Subs unused: Russ Howarth, Martin Reed, Craig Skinner.

Goals: Jones 32 mins

Bookings: Conlon 57 mins.

BARRY JONES: City's third skipper of the current campaign capped an aggressive display with a number of fine clearances and his first goal of the season.

Rochdale: Neil Edwards, Wayne Evans, Dean Stokes (Dave Bayliss 72min), Keith Hill, Mark Monington, Chris Bettney, Gary Jones, Warren Peyton (Paul Carden 79min), Graeme Atkinson (Clive Platt 57min), Graham Lancashire, Tony Ellis.

Subs unused: Phil Priestley, Graham Hicks.

Goals: Lancashire 59 mins, Ellis 66 mins

Bookings: none

Referee: Keith Hill (Royston, Herts).

Crowd: 2,580

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.