NIGEL Worthington wants his York City side to climb out of the relegation zone this weekend after the club’s first win in 17 games.

Goals from Ashley Chambers and Richard Cresswell saw the Minstermen overcome Plymouth 2-0 to move within a point of yesterday’s third-bottom opponents and their Devon rivals Torquay.

City now play host to 20th-placed Accrington Stanley on Saturday knowing a victory will lift them above the Lancashire side and out of the bottom two.

Following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Bristol Rovers, Worthington has been encouraged by a four-point haul over Easter and, on the continued battle against the drop, he said: “We have a fighting chance.

“It was a fight when I came here with ten games to go and now there are four left with everyone of them important. The last two performances have put a marker down.

“That’s what we have been looking for and the players have proven they can do it now. They did well at Bristol Rovers and added a couple of goals against Plymouth, which was nice.

“Accrington are coming to our patch next and we must do exactly the same again. We will need to start brightly and get the crowd behind us because they were crucial yesterday.

“The performance lifted the fans and we need to do that on Saturday. The supporters come to enjoy a game of football and they respond to energy, desire and commitment.

“We have given ourselves a platform now and I want to be sitting on 48 points come 5pm on Saturday because that will mean we are heading the right way.”

Worthington also picked out skipper Chris Smith, on-loan veteran striker Cresswell and teenage first-year professional Tom Platt for epitomising the warrior spirit his City side are now showing.

The former Northern Ireland chief added: “The captain led the way again. He’s been battered and bruised during the last two games but that won’t stop him heading the ball.

“He could not see clearly for a while after a big blow to his ear yesterday but there was no way he was coming off and that’s exactly what we are looking for. Richard Cresswell has also played almost two full matches in three days now and he led the line for us excellently against Plymouth and set an example for the rest of the group.

“Tom Platt was ill before the game and was close to not playing as well, but we got some toast down him and some diarrhoea tablets and, credit to the lad, he wanted to play.

“From a manager’s and supporters’ point of view, that’s what you’re looking for.

“He was not feeling his best but he gave a good performance and felt great afterwards.”

Worthington went on to acclaim the overall display, praising the team’s commitment levels and quality on the ball “The first-half performance was very good,” he said. “The pressing from the team was excellent and we were in control.

“The game changed a bit in the second half and the conditions were a bit more difficult with the breeze but we dealt with that well and the work-rate was good.

“Over the course of the last two games, Michael Ingham has really had nothing to do in goal and we have got to keep it that way and move things forward.

“You have to be rough and ready and win your tackles and shoulder charges and we have earned the right to play over Easter. We want them to pass the ball and we are doing that a lot more now.

“The message is getting through. We are encouraging them to play good football and the first goal was as good as you will see in passing and movement, as well as the finish.”

Chambers applied the final touch to that first goal, which also saw Dan Parslow, Adam Reed and Cresswell involved in a patient passing move.

The goal was Chambers’ first in 2013 and ninth of the season to move him level with Jason Walker as the team’s leading marksman.

Worthington now wants the former Leicester striker to reproduce his match-winning potential between now and the end of the season, saying: “He’s found it tough recently but he’s stuck at it and has been doing what we’ve been asking of him.

“He’s a part of the team and can be a match-winner who can cause damage to the opposition – there’s no doubt about that. He’s just one of those that you have to keep putting an arm around and, hopefully, he will take a lot from yesterday.”

City’s second goal came from a corner with Worthington also pleased to see a training ground drill reap rewards.

“Set-pieces are a big part of the game,” he pointed out.

“You can win or lose games with them and we work a lot on them.

“When one comes off, you are pleased for the players but it’s nice for us to see as well.”

Michael Coulson, meanwhile, was given his second substitute outing since suffering cruciate knee ligament damage back in mid-October with Worthington a growing fan of the former Scarborough and Grimsby winger’s talents, saying: “He’s got a football brain.

“He knows what the game is all about and uses the ball to good effect. He looks after it, gets into corners and has good upper body strength.”