ON an afternoon supposed to be about the return of wing-play to Bootham Crescent it was set-play and a divine moment of skill that set York City apart.

Visitors Leyton Orient had clearly not read the script that dictated this was supposed to be a triumphant and glorious home coming for King Jon.

In the end it proved to be, but only after the Londoners had threatened to spoil the party and upstage the return of the prodigal son.

Jon McCarthy was upstaged, but fortunately not by those from the Orient.

The fans' favourite can be well pleased with his second coming but even his noble endeavours were outshone by others around him.

Another Jon, Jon Parkin, crashed home an oh-so important second goal for City and but for one momentary lapse of concentration bringing up the rear was resolution personified.

And another wing commander, Lee Cook, inspired and propelled City more than most in search of a winner with his rapier-like thrusts down the left flank.

But in the end everyone and everything that had gone before was outclassed by a sublime coup de grace from Lee Bullock just two minutes from time.

It was as stunning a finish from the Minstermen as their start was sluggish.

Orient were the quicker of the two teams to settle and it was no real surprise when they took the lead on nine minutes.

Ciaran Toner was given too much room to swing the ball in from the right and Kevin Nugent was able to head the ball goalwards.

With the City defence painfully slow to react, Lee Thorpe comfortably nudged the ball back to Nugent who, from the edge of the box, curled it into the corner of the goal.

City were struggling to find any forward momentum and could have fallen further behind on 15 minutes but for a well-timed block by Graham Potter to deny Nugent at the far post.

As City huffed and puffed, the electric pace of home debutant Michael Reddy shone brightest for the Minstermen as slowly City found their feet and slipped through the gears.

However, for all the attacking flair amassed in the City ranks, their equaliser just before the half-hour mark could best be described as functional.

From Stephen Brackstone's inswinging corner, a clump of players rose together with skipper Chris Brass appearing to get the vital touch to bundle the ball home.

With Orient's early bravado now firmly in check, City were in the ascendancy in terms of possession although genuine sights of goal were few and far between.

Crosses from both the right and particularly the left flooded the Orient box but were not rubber-stamped with enough quality to fashion any real chances of note.

Still, definite progression had been made as the half closed and when the second half re-opened the Minstermen threatened to take a firm grip.

Twice Darren Edmondson was played in on goal and twice he fluffed his lines at the crucial moment.

Cook, meanwhile, forced a save at full stretch from Glenn Morris with a 25-yard free-kick before Bullock glanced a header just over the bar.

Orient, given time and space, passed with great assurance and accuracy, but when they re-took the lead just before hour mark few spectators could have seen it coming.

Possession was nabbed from Parkin out wide on the right by Thorpe, who skipped away from Chris Brass before centring for the diminutive John Martin, who got a telling toe-poke to the ball to prod it beyond goalkeeper Alan Fettis.

A dumb-struck City were given a massive helping hand just five minutes later when Orient skipper Dean Smith received his second yellow card and a dismissal for scything down Reddy.

A goal down but a man to the good, City upped the ant and continued to fling the ball into the box but without any real poise or polish.

Just as the Minstermen looked to be running out of ideas, another corner came to City's rescue.

This time it was Cook flinging the ball in and this time there was no mistake as to who got the telling touch with Parkin thumping the ball into the back of the net.

Credit to City and particularly Cook, who refused to settle for the point but continued to carry the fight forward.

Their efforts were rewarded just two minutes from time when the ball was rolled back to Bullock some 25 yards from goal.

The City midfielder spotted Morris off his line and from an acute angle showed tremendous skill and vision to lift the ball over the stranded Orient 'keeper before watching it drop in at the far post.

It was a goal worthy of winning any match.

Fact file:

York City: Fettis 6, Edmondson 5 (Nogan 72m), Brass 6, Parkin 8, Potter 7, McCarthy 7, Brackstone 6, Bullock 7, Cook 8, Duffield 7, Reddy 7. Subs (not used): Collinson, Wise, Wilding, Wood.

Goals: Brass 28m, Parkin 80, Bullock 88.

Bookings: McCarthy 32m (foul).

Sent-off: None.

Orient: Morris, Barnard, Smith, Harris, Stephens, Lockwood, Toner (Hatcher 89m), Miller, Martin, Nugent, Thorpe (Canham 80m). Subs (not used): Barrett, Forbes, Brazier.

Goals: Nugent 9m, Martin 58.

Bookings: Thorpe 26m (dissent), Lockwood 45, Toner 52, Stephens 65 (all fouls).

Sent-off: Smith (two bookable offences 48m, 63).

REF: Mark Cooper (Walsall)

ATTENDANCE: 3,304

Man of the match: Lee Cook. Just shaded Jon parkin as when the chips were down he carried the fight.

Updated: 12:05 Monday, November 11, 2002