The 3-0 horror show at Wetherby Road in March was the rock-bottom moment after a run of four defeats in a dozen dismal days.
Graham Alexander drew a line in the sand at that point and rebuilt exactly how he wanted to play and who would be involved.
The result was a charge to the finish line which saw City bank 19 points from a possible 21 and sign off with five consecutive wins.
City’s recent return to Harrogate again proved painfully pointless as the Sulphurites maintained their hold over the neighbours – with Alexander blasting his team’s performance in the first quarter of the game as “unrecognisable”.
But the response since has been a spirited one with a late point salvaged at Morecambe followed by back-to-back wins for the first time in the season.
Could another Harrogate humbling be the catalyst once more?
“I hope so,” admitted Graham Alexander, who could see other similarities with the personnel missing at the time last season.
“Harrogate was the last of that four-game spell when we had three centre halves injured as well.
“Matty Platt, Sam Stubbs and Ash Taylor were all missing and we had a really difficult spell.
“We came up with what we wanted to be and in the 21 games we’ve had since then, we’ve only lost three.
“That’s a good response from the two groups – the one that finished last season and the one that started this.
“There is progress we have made but there’s still work to be done to become what I believe we can be.”
Bad occasions like that will stick in the mind of fans – and it’s no different with players and coaches.
“Days like that, they do, 100 per cent,” added Alexander.
“I can smile about it now but it wasn’t nice last season or two weeks ago. I wouldn’t say that was as bad, but it wasn’t much better.
“I’ve learned to see adversity for what it is. It’s a test of character, a chance to improve and who’s in it for the long haul.
“That’s what we try to do. We try to take the positives from it and turn it into a positive.
“We did it last time, hopefully we can do it the same again.”
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