AFTER a four-game absence of three-point hauls a significant and well timed return to winning ways for York City.

All victories are welcomed of course, but the importance of this particular triumph should not be underestimated.

City may only have moved up three places as a result, but another defeat would have seen the Minstermen slip back into mid-table.

From there, the mire of the bottom half is but a whisker away, its long dark shadow eating away at the confidence, and once the lower reaches has a team in its grasp it rarely relaxes its grip.

As it is, City are a side on the up with the summit still clearly within touching distance.

With two testing away games also on the horizon, the forward momentum is back with the Minstermen after their recent sticky patch and City should travel in goods heart and with real purpose.

Also rapidly approaching is the ten-game landmark, by which time it is generally agreed the genuine challengers have started to emerge.

Saturday's victory has ensured City will be right there amongst it as they hit double figures, even if they should stumble at Macclesfield.

Not that the Silkmen should hold any fears for City given their performance against the Pirates.

The Minstermen were not at their very best and were never quite able to squash their visitors or bring them under control. But City still played some great football at times and in a battle of wills and desire came out on tops.

City's passing game has basked in acclaim since the start of the season but against Rovers it was the head of Lee Bullock which came to the fore.

Bullock, once again sharing front-line duties with Liam George and Aron Wilford, rose majestically on 13 minutes to head home City's opening goal from Darren Dunning's corner.

Jumping head and shoulders above his markers, it was as if the Rovers defence had suddenly donned some concrete boots.

Little more than 20 minutes later and Bullock's head proved decisive again.

This time, he flicked Mitch Ward's in-swinger on to Wilford, who stooped to nod the ball home between the upright and a Rovers defender on the line.

More scruffy than sublime, it was nevertheless to prove decisive and helped City regain the initiative and lead.

Separating City's two goals was Junior Agogo's 21st minute leveller for the visitors.

From goalkeeper Kevin Miller's long punt, Paul Tait won the header and as City failed to clear the danger Agogo was able to squirm his shot through the legs of Chris Brass and between the outstretched arm of Mark Ovendale and the post.

Without ever really finding top gear or imposing their will on Rovers, City deserved their lead at the break but almost lost it again at the start of the second.

Tait should have equalised after racing clear from Ijah Anderson's clearance but was ushered wide by first Ovendale, who was quick to come from his line, and then the retreating Brass.

Having escaped, City finally started to assert some real authority with George and Wilford, in particular, starting to impose themselves on the Rovers' backline.

Both combined down the right but from George's measured pull-back Dunning miscued badly before the duo linked again with George this time firing straight at Miller from a good position just inside the area.

City's cause was helped ten minutes from time when Rovers' substitute Simon Bryant was dismissed little more than five minutes after entering the fray for a two-footed lunge on Brass.

Crosses-cum-shots from both Wilford and Dave Merris threatened to extend City's advantage but despite the man advantage it was not all plain sailing for City.

In stoppage time, Leigh Wood produced a fine tackle to deny Agogo then Ovendale showed bravery to save the rebound at the feet of Lee Hodges.

It was a telling intervention from Ovendale, but it had been a very telling afternoon all round for York City.

Match facts:

City 2, (Bullock 13, Wilford 34); Bristol Rovers 1 (Agogo 21)

Ovendale 6, Cooper 7, Brass 7, Wood 7, Hope 6, Merris 6, Ward 7, *Dunning 8, Bullock 8, George 6, Wilford 6.

Subs: Stewart fir George (90) Not used: Porter, Smith, Fox, Brackstone

Star Man: Darren Dunning. Perpetual motion

Key:

10 Faultless, 9 Outstanding, 8 Excellent, 7 Eye-catching, 6 Good, 5 Average, 4 Below-par, 3 Dud, 2 Hopeless, 1 Retire

Rovers: Miller, Boxall, Barrett, Edwards, Anderson, Carlisle, Quinn (Savage 60m), Hyde (Bryant 74m), Street (Hodges 60m), Agogo, Tait. Subs, not used: Uddin, Austin

Yellow cards: Ward 44, Tait 64

Red cards: Bryant 80

Referee: Trevor Parkes (West Midlands). Kept a tight rein.

Attendance: 3,968

Weather watch: Dull and overcast

Game breaker: Lee Bullock's head

Match rating: Another exciting and entertaining afternoon

Updated: 10:57 Monday, September 22, 2003