YORK City boss Chris Brass has admitted he is glad to finally lay the spectre of last season's record-breaking win-less run.

The Minstermen made club history by finishing 2003/2004 without a victory in 20 matches and extended that sequence with Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Aldershot.

But last night's 2-0 victory over Tamworth, secured by debut goals from Paul Groves and Paul Robinson, means the statistic will now be consigned to the record books and Brass said: "Everybody has been harping on about it and it did snowball at the end of last season.

"I think though that the losing mentality had already been put behind us by the fact that we brought in eight new additions to the side but I'm still glad to have laid the ghost."

Brass has now called on his players to use last night's victory as a platform for the rest of the Nationwide Conference season and maintain the standards set against Tamworth.

He said: "It was a great result and a good performance. We built on what we did for the first 60 minutes at Aldershot and were professional in all areas.

"There was not one person who had a bad game and that does not happen very often in football. I am not stupid enough to get carried away after only our second game and we have a long way to go before we are the finished article but we have set standards that must now be maintained.

"You have to turn up and win against the likes of Tamworth on a Tuesday night and pressure comes with that but I know we will come up against stronger sides, starting with Hereford on Saturday, who I think, like Aldershot, will be up there at the end of the season."

Brass was pleased with Robinson's goal on his home debut and believes the former Newcastle striker's partnership with fellow new signing Andy Bishop can become one of the most feared in the division, saying: "They linked up well throughout and will be the pinnacle for us this season because they will win us games.

"They can run defences ragged and will get their rewards if they do. Their understanding will grow and improve and they will start to get a reputation.

"Teams will fear them if they perform like that week in, week out and that's pleasing because it was a problem area last season."

Robinson was substituted midway through the second half at Aldershot but Brass was more encouraged by his performance and work-rate last night, adding: "Paul Robinson is there to get goals and he's taken the first chance he's had in two games which is the measure of a striker.

"It killed the game off and we just had to see it through then for 90 minutes. I also think there was another ten per cent from him in terms of effort and work-rate and that's what got him his reward."

Updated: 11:01 Wednesday, August 18, 2004