YORK City boss Nigel Worthington admitted he did not expect two-goal hero Wes Fletcher to complete 90 minutes during his side’s 3-2 win at Stevenage.

Fletcher was given his first league start since mid-February in Hertfordshire and was still on the pitch to convert a 76th-minute penalty that secured City’s first victory of the campaign.

Last season’s 13-goal top scorer had not completed a full game for seven months, after missing pre-season due to the medial ligament injury he suffered in March.

He was also doubtful for the Broadhall Way clash after only lasting 45 minutes due to hamstring trouble in last Tuesday’s 2-0 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat at Barnsley.

But Worthington was reluctant to substitute the former Burnley forward after seeing his side throw away a 2-0 lead against a Stevenage team reduced to ten men by the 31st-minute sending off of Andy Bond following early Michael Coulson and Fletcher strikes.

On Fletcher’s stamina, a pleased Worthington said: “Wes coming back in and doing 90 minutes was a bit of a surprise, but we needed him out there. Anthony Straker was getting a bit leggy and Lindon Meikle was starting to give the ball away cheaply, so we needed to change certain other things to get us over the line.”

Fletcher was hacked down for the incident that saw Bond receive his marching orders, while Coulson curled in a third-minute free kick after he was also stopped in his tracks by a yellow-carded Darius Charles.

On the potential of their newly-formed striking partnership, Worthington added: “They both got on the scoresheet and I am delighted for them.

“Couls has been threatening to get a goal and was getting a bit frustrated, but that free kick will have done him the world of good and he’s capable of that. They’ve both got good strength.

“Wes likes to get his backside into the centre halves and is always looking to get a shot off, while Michael likes to drop into holes and they complement each other.”

Summer signing Jake Hyde, meanwhile, was introduced off the bench for a second successive game, with Worthington reasoning that he will benefit from his watching brief.

“It’s good for him to sit and look at what we ask for from the team,” the City chief said of the former Barnet striker. “He’s ingrained into the football club now.

“He knows what we are about and it’s important he does a job for the team.”

Worthington hailed a “terrific” win, meanwhile, but stressed that his players could have managed the game better when they led 2-0 and had a numerical advantage over their hosts.

“It was a fantastic game,” he said. “It’s very pleasing to get all three points at Stevenage because they are a tough side to play on any day.

“It was another spirited performance and we deserved our 2-0 lead. You’ve then got to manage the game.

“We didn’t do that as well as we could have done. I don’t like to see anybody get sent off but the referee makes decisions and, when teams go down to ten men, it can also spur them on and bring them together.

“We stepped off a little bit in the second half and weren’t pressing or forcing Stevenage into mistakes, as well as we had done in the first half. Psychologically, when you are 2-0 up against ten men, maybe you think it will be easier as a player.

“It’s often more difficult but, after they made it 2-2, we kept our heads up to get a terrific win.”

The City boss also insisted he did not feel relieved to end an eight-game wait for a first win of the season, arguing that his belief in his players has not wavered and that their form has merited a better return from the previous fixtures this term.

“I’m just pleased for the players and supporters because there has been so many good things during our start to the season and we haven’t been getting our just rewards,” he pointed out.

“We want to kick on now and, if we all do our jobs as a unit and keep doing the right things, we can win a lot more games and go on a run.”

Worthington went on to praise right-back Marvin McCoy for his charge into the Stevenage penalty box that led to City’s goal.

“I like my full backs to drive on and you are going to get penalties if you get in the box,” he explained. “He showed tidy feet before he was tripped and Wes stepped up to put it away very well.”