COPACABANA beach may be on the other side of the world and thousands of miles from Bootham Crescent but just for a brief moment yesterday it felt a bit closer.

It most certainly wasn't the weather that realised the Samba spirit, nor even York City with a Brazilian striker spearheading their attack at the final whistle.

But after some of the sterile, grey play of recent seasons, the one-touch, super-slick, super-quick football produced by City yesterday meant it was all too easy to let the imagination run wild.

"It's just like watching Brazil," caroused the home faithful.

That was perhaps stretching it, but it was certainly sunshine football done with a cocksure swagger of which the yellow-clad heroes from South America are renowned.

City battled and bristled too, but this was just about as comfortable a win as the Minstermen, never ones for making things easy, have enjoyed.

Added to some sublime football, a clean sheet was very welcome, especially given the costly bloopers at Glanford Park, and but for a couple of speculative efforts in the second-half it is hard to recall Marlon Beresford being troubled.

After a jittery opening, the defence looked assured and accomplished. Skipper Chris Brass provided some much needed stability and looked at his most effective; Chris Smith produced an elegant display, while Tom Cowan snapped, crackled and tackled throughout.

Returning twosome Graham Potter and Lee Bullock slipped effortlessly back into the fold, while up front the three-pronged attack of Peter Duffield, Jon Parkin and Lee Nogan get sharper by the game.

Duffield in particular will claim the headlines for his fifth goal in as many games and rightly so.

The diminutive front man has suffered more knock-backs in the last two years than most players will suffer in a career and so it is a particular delight to see him bagging goals for fun at the moment.

But his general all-round play is almost as important to the City cause.

Indeed, after a shaky start from City when Boston dominated possession and looked significantly sharper it is fair to say Duffield kick-started the turning of the tide.

City, struggling to find their stride or build up any momentum, had yet to string two passes together when on 15 minutes Duffield picked up the ball in midfield, turned and sprayed a delightful cross-field pass out wide to Darren Edmondson.

It was simple but very effective in pointing City in the right direction.

Seemingly inspired by Duffield's considered play, City slowly woke from their coma and strung some passes together.

And as confidence surged through the men in red it was not long before the instigator-in-chief made an even more telling contribution.

Stephen Brackstone and Bullock both had efforts from the edge of the penalty area charged down before the latter produced a sublime reverse pass that carved open the Boston defence.

From 12 yards out and not a defender in sight Duffield fired home with little fuss, rifling the ball into the far corner.

What remained of the half was one-way traffic and from a side looking puzzled at the outset City were now asking all the questions.

Jon Parkin managed to get the ball in the back of the net but was adjudged to have pushed his marker before volleying home, while Duffield was denied by the fingers of Paul Bastock from adding to his tally with a low raking effort from 25 yards.

Needless to say again, Duffield also had a telling hand in City's second coming six minutes after the restart.

Cowan's free-kick was nodded on by Potter to Duffield, who flicked the ball through to Nogan.

The Welshman showed great strength to brush off the attention of former City defender Matt Hocking and poise to steady himself before slotting calmly past Bastock.

Boston flickered briefly but once the hour mark was passed City threatened to run wild with some lovely flowing football.

In particular, City's front three were taking the Pilgrims on a merry dance and, but for an offside flag at the end of some scintillating one-touch football, Parkin would have scored one of the goals of the season.

Moments later and played in by Nogan and Duffield again Parkin had chance to make amends but this time curled his effort agonisingly around the post.

City's profligacy in front of goal - it really should have been 4-0 or 5-0 - was the only dampener.

But even that could not overshadow a 'Brazilliant' display from the Minstermen.

Match facts:

York City: Beresford 7, Edmondson 7 (Wood 84m), Smith 8, Brass 8 (Hobson 79m), Cowan 8, Brackstone 7, Bullock 7, Potter 7, Parkin 8 (Rogerio 90m) , Nogan 8, Duffield 8 Subs (not used): Fettis, Mathie Bookings: Nogan 45m (foul), Parkin 48m (dissent) Goal: Duffield 22m, Nogan 51m

Boston United: Bastock, Hocking, Ellender, Warburton, Thompson (Gould 41m), Rusk, Weatherstone, Bennett, Burton (Redfearn 45m), Clare, Angel (Cook 61m) Subs (not used): Conroy, Monington Bookings: Burton 21m (dissent), Bennett 37m (foul), Redfearn 49m (foul), Hocking 76m (foul), Rusk 85m (foul)

Attendance: 4,228

Man of the match: Peter Duffield. Fifth goal in successive game, also figured in City's second. At the hub of everything.

Referee: Lee Mason (Bolton)

Updated: 12:21 Tuesday, August 27, 2002