York City 0, Southport 0

The date was determined by taking into account miserable weather, mounting debt, the length of time since Christmas, failed New Year's resolutions, a lack of motivation and a need to take action.

Tuesday, January 24, should, therefore, have heralded better times ahead but York City's players did little to lift the gloom at KitKat Crescent last night in a 0-0 draw against Conference bottom club Southport which could see the Samaritans' switchboard jammed today.

City, despite fielding an identical starting line-up, were a pale shadow of the side that undeservedly lost 2-1 to play-off contenders Grays Athletic on Saturday and it seems bizarre that Billy McEwan's men received a greater reward for last night's abject display.

A better side than Southport, however, would surely have left the Minstermen without a point from any of their last three outings - all at home.

Southport, nicknamed the Sandgrounders, could have expected to feel comfortable on a pitch that is now, in parts, resembling Blackpool beach but they were hardly subjected to wave after wave of City attacks.

The Minstermen, who had displayed plenty of craft and menace against Grays on Saturday, managed just three shots on target - all in the first 20 minutes. Luckily, their visitors were just as impotent.

The Minstermen's display was littered with wayward passes, especially from the back, although players in possession were hardly spoilt for choices in terms of willing receivers of the ball.

City's three-man midfield is made to look very narrow if Mark Convery is not at his busiest and, with strikers Clayton Donaldson and Tcham N'Toya proving unreliable outlets and neither full-back foraging forward, a lack of width made the job of closing down midfield space a little easier for part-timers Southport.

Emmanuel Panther, in particular, was guilty of dallying on a number of occasions but his task was not helped by the lack of decisive and intelligent movement in front of him.

Donaldson's pace did take him clear of the Southport defence on nine minutes but his weak shot was comfortably gathered by Steve Dickinson.

The Southport keeper was tested more seriously by Darren Dunning's 25-yard free-kick and a firm N'Toya drive from a similar distance but City could not capitalise when Dickinson parried both efforts.

N'Toya's effort - his only significant contribution of the game following an exciting debut against Grays - proved City's final on-target attempt.

At the other end, Kevin Leadbetter drove wide from 20 yards and Earl Davis headed over from a Chris Lane free-kick before referee Andy Haines called time on a drab first half. Little improved after the restart.

City captain Mark Hotte headed wide from a Convery cross on 54 minutes while Chris Porter needed to be alert to hold a Carl Baker shot from 15 yards after Neil Robinson had fluffed a better opportunity in front of goal.

Left-back Jerome Fitzgerald displayed a similar level of composure when his sliced 20-yard effort spun out for a throw-in.

Liam Blakeman then troubled a back-tracking James Dudgeon before firing wide and Baker went close with a curling 83rd-minute free-kick.

McEwan had sent on Andy Bishop for N'Toya after 55 minutes but City's leading marksman only received his first sight of goal in the game's dying stages.

Bishop rose to meet Panther's floated cross from the right but his downward header bounced narrowly wide.

Striking partner Donaldson, still struggling to regain his early-season form, then almost conjured up an unlikely injury-time winner but his 25-yard drive flashed wide.

A pressing need to take action is now required if City are to maintain their play-off aspirations although greater motivation will also be needed if they are to lift the seasonal depression against Woking on Saturday.

York City 0, Southport 0

Porter 6, Craddock 6, Dudgeon 5, Hotte 5, Merris 6 (Peat 61m 5), Convery 5, Panther 5, Dunning 6, Donaldson 5, O'Neill 6, N'Toya 5 (Bishop 55m 6)

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Subs (not used): Reid, McGurk, Bertos.

Star man: Craddock - reasonably solid performance at right-back.

Southport: Dickinson, Lane, Fitzhenry, Davis,Fitzgerald, Pickford, Morley, Baker (Powell, 90), Robinson (Rogan, 90), Leadbetter. Subs not used: Speare, McGinn, Stringfellow.

Yellow cards: Davis 76, Baker 86.

Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne & Wear). Rating: made mistakes and was not really seriously stretched.

Attendance: 2,176.

Weather watch: Chilly but calm.

Game breaker: Awful would be a fair description with few moments of quality from either side.

Match rating: Poor entertainment with one team unable to score against a side uninterested in scoring after they had found the net once.

McEwan's verdict: "We did not create enough chances. They were a well-organised side who set their stall out and defended well while also creating problems for us at the other end."

Player watch - Darren Craddock

Shots on target: 0

Shots off target: 0

Blocked shots: 0

Passes to own player: 21

Passes to opposition: 8

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 3

Pass success rate: 65.6 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 1

Dribbles ball lost: 1

Dribbles success rate: 50 per cent

Headers: 13 Tackles: 9

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 6 Offsides: 0

Free kicks won: 1

Free kicks conceded: 1

Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: Craddock turned in a reliable, if not spectacular, performance at right-back. He could have probably provided the side with more attacking width and his tally of three crosses - none finding a team-mate - is disappointing. His distribution was generally safe though.

Updated: 09:51 Wednesday, January 25, 2006