YOU have to go back to January 26, 2008 – when Aldershot were stuffed 2-0 at Bootham Crescent – to remember the last time York City put on a performance like this.

Histon, a side the Minstermen had never previously beaten, were swamped as York finally conjured the kind of display so often expected against a team of part-timers.

Martin Foyle obviously hoped his side would kick on following that backs-to-the-wall win at Gateshead, but even he must have been a little surprised by the way they bossed the villagers.

It was evident all over the pitch.

When Histon briefly threatened at the end of the first half, Michael Ingham made a couple of crucial saves to retain City’s advantage.

In midfield, Andy Ferrell was outstanding.

Michael Gash didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he was imperious in the air and intelligent in holding the ball and bringing his team-mates into play.

Then there is Adam Smith and Richard Brodie. Both have warmed the bench at times this campaign but, unleashed against Histon, they showed why they must be central figures in Foyle’s plans.

It wasn’t just their goals.

Adam Tann looked a disconsolate figure after being tortured by Brodie’s pace all afternoon, while Smith put in the shift he has been promising in cameo performances since arriving at Bootham Crescent.

Histon were served notice of what was to come after just two minutes when ’keeper Joe Welch made a smart save from Brodie at his far post after the striker had seized on Gash’s head-down.

But he wasn’t to be denied for long. This time, on 11 minutes, it was Ben Purkiss who provided a sensational cross straight onto Brodie’s head.

The striker did the rest – steering his header past a despairing Welch into the top left-hand corner.

Histon, direct and physical, aren’t used to being on the back foot and they panicked. City, by contrast, looked dangerous every time they came forward in a captivating opening half hour.

Ferrell chipped a shot over the bar from 20 yards before almost scoring what would have been the goal of the season.

He set Brodie away down the left and then sprinted into the box, meeting his fellow Geordie’s delicious centre with a diving header which struck a post and agonisingly bounced out.

For City’s long-suffering fans, this was fantasy land. And it kept on coming.

Smith continued to weave his magic down the right and even in defence – when he strolled across his 18-yard box after 25 minutes and launched another magnificent ball to set Brodie away.

Parslow met Ferrell’s whipped in corner and headed into the side-netting and then, five minutes before the break, Smith put it wide when the ball came to him unmarked on the left.

Could they keep up the pace? Inevitably, there had to be a lull.

Luckily, Ingham was there to pick up the slack. The Minstermen ’keeper is an imposing, outgoing presence in this City side but he puts in the performances to back up the bravado.

Twice he came to the rescue, blocking from Josh Simpson and then from Matthew Langston as Histon threatened from set-pieces.

But, ironically, City were just as dangerous from the long ball and it helped lead to the second goal on 58 minutes.

Alex Lawless put Brodie away and, when he was sent to the floor in the box by a Histon defender, the ball deflected out to Smith who calmly side-footed into the bottom left corner from around 12 yards.

It wasn’t all one way traffic.

Bradley Hudson-Odoi should have reduced the deficit but inexplicably fired over from six yards after Simpson’s cross had flashed past Parslow.

However, it was merely respite before Brodie delivered again in the 63rd minute. He had been a touch greedy when he shot from an acute angle after leaving Welch stranded on the touchline but, a minute later, another ball over the top put him clear and, as he roamed goalwards, Pope cut him down.

There was some suggestion the tackle was outside the box but referee Richard Wigglesworth pointed straight to the spot. Brodie picked himself up and slotted it calmly into the bottom left corner.

Pope was lucky to escape with a yellow card.

City could have had more.

A fierce Ferrell free-kick was spilled by Welch and Gash curled a shot over the bar before Rankine, replacing Brodie, struck a venomous drive just wide.

The substitute should then have scored on 90 minutes but somehow put Purkiss’ cross over from six yards.

Danny Wright robbed City of a clean sheet when heading unmarked past Ingham in stoppage time but, although annoying, it could not take the shine off a well-earned three points.

The challenge now is consistency.

Match facts

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire

Michael Ingham 8
Ben Purkiss 8
Djoumin Sangare 8
Daniel Parslow 8
James Meredith 8
Adam Smith 9
Alex Lawless 8
Neil Barrett 8
Andy Ferrell 8
Michael Gash 8
Richard Brodie 9

Substitutions:
Michael Rankine (for Brodie, 81)
Andy McWilliams (for Ferrell, 85)
Craig Nelthorpe (for Smith, 87)
Subs not used: O’Hare, Mimms.

City’s star man: Richard Brodie – gave the Histon back-four a torrid time and two goals showed why he is so vital to the Minstermen.

Histon: Joe Welch, Craig Pope, Matthew Langston, Adam Tann (Adam Bygrave 82), Gareth Gwillim, Jamie Barker (Kieran Leabon 74), Neil Andrews, Josh Simpson, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Danny Wright, Bradley Hudson-Odoi. Subs (not used): Craig Hammond, Lanre Oyebanjo, Ben Farrell.

Yellow cards: Nelthorpe, Pope, Wright.

Referee: Richard Wigglesworth (Rotherham). Rating: Should have sent Pope off.

Attendance: 1,944 (38 from Histon).

Move of the match: Andy Ferrell
sprinted into the box after his pass to Brodie and had his diving header from his fellow Geordie’s cross gone in, it would have been the goal of the season.

Head to head
Djoumin Sangare v Danny Wright
MAKING his first start for City, Sangare found the meaty Danny Wright in his way – and he did a good job on the striker despite his scoring a stoppage time consolation goal.

Wright’s weight allowed him to hold off the Minstermen’s centre-back when he received the ball but he rarely got round the French-born defender.

Sangare was dominant in the air against Wright and it was no surprise when, after the break, Wright swapped places with Bradley Hudson-Odoi to line up against City captain Daniel Parslow instead.

Shots on target: City 13, Histon 5
Shots off target: City 7, Histon 4
Corners: City 3, Histon 6
Offside: City 1, Histon 1
Fouls: City 13, Histon 10