FA CUP First round: RADCLIFFE BOROUGH 1, YORK CITY 4

THE gap in class was a bridge too far for Boro -- but they still managed to enjoy their big day out.

A bumper crowd turned out to cheer the UniBond League First Division minnows. They were to be disappointed, as Boro trailed by three goals inside the first 15 minutes. But Kevin Glendon's men lifted themselves sufficiently to put on a bit of a show in the second half.

The fans were filled with false hope in the very first minute when Simon Carden tried an acrobatic overhead kick from Richard Battersby's right wing cross and saw his effort fly just wide. York replied in emphatic fashion two minutes later when Graham Potter smashed home a loose ball from about 12 yards out to put the Nationwide Third Division side ahead.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0 as Lee Bullock rammed in an emphatic near post header. The writing was on the wall.

Things went from bad to worse for Boro as Carden picked up the game's first booking in the 13th minute -- unlucky for some -- for a rather over enthusiastic challenge on Potter.

And Boro were made to pay a heavy price two minutes later when David McNiven drilled in Neil Tarrant's superbly flighted cross with a smart first time finish.

Neil Hardy managed another overhead kick attempt from a free kick on 17 minutes before York applied the pressure again and Danny Hurst was forced into a fine, diving save to stop another McNiven shot.

Hurst had no chance in the 29th minute though with Scott Jordan's fiercely struck effort from the edge of the penalty area that put York into a commanding 4-0 lead.

But it was Boro who had the last say of the half when the tireless Dempsey had a 35th minute free kick saved by York keeper Alan Fettis.

Nevertheless, the thing that Boro and their fans feared most -- a complete annihilation -- looked to be on the cards with York already 4-0 up at the break. Nothing could have been further from the truth. For apart from Hurst blocking a shot from Bullock in the 52nd minute, the second half pretty much belonged to Boro.

Ian Lunt picked up another Boro booking for a foul on Fettis in the 55th minute, but then Boro began to grow in confidence and Dempsey forced Fettis into another good save after cutting into the danger area on the right.

The goal the Boro fans craved finally arrived in the 69th minute. Hardy showed great skill in turning Matt Hocking on the edge of the box, putting himself in the clear to blast a fine shot high into the net between the keeper and his left-hand post.

That was just the spur Boro needed and they enjoyed their best spell of the game from then until the end, culminating in shots from Hardy and James Price that went close and a Carden effort that pinged back off the foot of a post.

A fine way to end the game and manager Glendon was far from being disappointed.

"I said the first 20 minutes would be important and we were obviously very nervous," he said.

"After the first three goals went in we changed things round a bit and the character we showed in the second half was great.

"Mark Dempsey lapped the game up and my only disappointment was that I couldn't get Ian Callaghan on because I wanted to give everyone a taste of it.

"Hopefully, after our second half performance, the fans will want to see a bit more.

"I am not saying we will get 2,500 again, but I don't see why some of them shouldn't come down to Stainton Park."

He added: "York were so much more physical than us and a bit more direct. They had a lot more strength, but that's what full-time training does for you and, overall, I was so proud of my lads."

York boss Terry Dolan paid Boro a big compliment when he said: "We had to make sure there wasn't an upset and I was a bit disappointed with our second half performance.

"But fair play to Radcliffe, they were a credit to the team in the second half."

BORO: Hurst 7, Battersby 7, Whealing 6, S Kelly 6, Bean 6, DEMPSEY 8*, Lunt 6, Carden 6, Wilson 6, Hardy 7, Price 6. Substitutes: E Kelly and Collins (for Wilson and Lunt, 79 mins), Edwards (for Whealing 85). Not used: Callaghan, Senior.

YORK CITY: Fettis, Edmondson, Potter, Bullock, Hall, Jordan, Hocking, Sertori, Iwelumo, McNiven, Tarrant. Substitutes: Mathie (for Tarrant, 61mins), Stamp (for Hall, 65 mins). Not used: Jones, Howarh, Alcide.

Referee: Mr A Bates (Stoke). Attendance: 2,495.