DELIGHTED boss Terry Dolan has praised the defensive foundations that paved the way for York City's 2-0 win over League newcomers Boston United at Bootham Crescent.

The Minstermen produced some of their best attacking football in recent memory to put the Pilgrims to the sword and stretch their unbeaten home run to eight games.

But while it was City's swashbuckling attacking display that caught the eye, Dolan preferred to look backwards for the source of City's success.

After Saturday's first defeat of the season at Scunthorpe, the City chief had hinted at changes to his back line and carried out his threat yesterday.

With Scott Jones ruled out through illness and Gary Hobson dropped to the bench, skipper Chris Brass moved from central midfield to sweeper while Tom Cowan came inside from his roving wing-back role to play as a central defender alongside Chris Smith.

Dolan said: "I was very pleased and one of the most pleasing things was the clean sheet because it was the first of the season for us.

"Chris (Brass) played at the back towards the end of last season when we had a good run.

"We have been leaking one or two goals and his experience and know-how helped us bridge that gap last season and I thought it was time to do it again.

"Scott Jones was still poorly after Saturday and with Gary Hobson off-form I knew that Tom Cowan could do a job there.

"It worked very well and I was delighted with everybody."

The only sour point for the City chief, who revealed Brass was substituted towards the end of the game suffering from stomach cramps, was City's failure to score more goals.

"Our attacking display deserved more," he said.

"When the game was allowed to flow, we moved the ball around very accurately and very quickly and I think overall the supporters have seen an excellent attacking display."

The City manager also singled out young midfielder Stephen Brackstone for praise as the former Middlesbrough player grows in stature with every performance.

"When we took him we knew he had ability," explained Dolan.

"Middlesbrough obviously didn't feel he had enough for them in the Premier League which you can understand to a certain degree.

"But we saw something there and with the other players around him now he is showing what he is capable of doing.

"He has good vision and is a good passer of the ball and he will get better."

For Boston's caretaker boss, ex-City chief Neil Thompson, it was not a happy return to Bootham Crescent.

"I'm really disappointed how we performed," he admitted.

"We started brightly and should have been able to kick on from there.

"But we got what we deserved in the second-half, we lost our discipline and let them dictate.

"We gave York a helping hand and fair play they took it."

Updated: 08:31 Tuesday, August 27, 2002