The 2-0 reverse and display was all the more galling because in Saturday's sparkling showing against Scunthorpe, York proved themselves a good side. Last night they looked decidedly ordinary. City's true standing probably lies somewhere in between. To be fair, Rochdale looked organised, bright and industrious with two strikers in Clive Platt and Tony Ellis as good as any partnership in the division. But particularly in the first half, York made it too comfortable for the visitors and only Kevin Hulme looked up for the fight as Dale won most of the battles and definitely the war.
Statistics can make telling reading and last night's proved a pertinent point.
The Minstermen enjoyed 11 corners compared to Rochdale's four but City could muster only one effort on target during the 90 minutes while Dale stretched Alan Fettis in the City goal no fewer than nine times. It wasn't simply therefore that City didn't have possession, but when they did progress with any purpose they too often fluffed their lines as a sight of goal approached or fell victim to an assistant referee's offside flag. Shame, because City started the match where they left off against Scunthorpe, with gusto to peg Dale back. David McNiven earned a free-kick 25 yards out with a turn that saw him hauled down by David Bayliss. Steve Agnew's clever reverse pass from the dead-ball caught everyone on the hop but Wayne Hall, but his low cross was cleared by a desperate Dale defence.