YORK City boss Terry Dolan woke up to that top of day feeling.

Not only was he able to hail the fighting spirit that has catapulted his side to second place in Division Three after their 2-1 win at Swansea, he was also able to celebrate being named the Nationwide League division three manager of the month for August.

The Minstermen recorded their first away win of the season at Swansea, a result and performance that delighted the City chief.

"Hartlepool are still above us in the league on goal difference but as long as we keep battling like we have done then we will still be heading in the right direction," said Dolan.

"The wind was a lot stronger than people realise and Swansea were certainly up for it and committed.

"We had to battle but we stood up to it and got a great result."

After the 2-1 defeat at Scunthorpe a week earlier, Dolan was left angry with defensive lapses that cost City dear.

However, the City boss admitted he had no complaints with the Minstermen's defensive display at Vetch Field.

"We knew we had only picked up one point from our two games away from home so far and were keen to put that right.

"We wanted to do better and it was important we started well and I thought we started better than we have done in our previous two or three games.

"I thought we defended very well and I don't think Swansea created too many chances clear-cut chances in the first-half.

"We certainly didn't make too many errors defensively and they put us under a lot of pressure by pushing so many men forward and putting a lot of balls into the box.

"But you cannot fault our players for the way they stuck at it.

"At 1-1 it would have been easy for us to just to hold out but we didn't and that was pleasing."

The icing on the cake came for City came as Peter Duffield grabbed City's winner from the penalty spot to make it six goals in six successive games.

In doing so the former Darlington striker became the first City player since Keith Walwyn 17 years ago to score six in six.

Dolan had no doubt the penalty, coming just ten minutes from the end and only four minutes after Swansea equalised, was the correct decision after defender Andrew Mumford upended Duffield.

"It was a definite penalty. Even the guys in the Swansea dug-out couldn't believe he (Mumford) fell for it."

Of his manager of the month award Doland explained that he had first heard as he attended yesterday's derby clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield

"I was just on my way out of Hillsborough when I got the call," said Dolan, who could be presented with the award tomorrow by League sponsors, Nationwide.

"I won it back in 1994 with Hull, so I hope it's not another eight years before my next one.

"If we, and I say we as this is just recognition for the team, can win eight more of these awards in the next eight months then it will have been a great season."

Portsmouth's Harry Redknapp and Brentford's Wally Downes won the respective crowns for Division One and Two.

Updated: 11:51 Monday, September 02, 2002