Dividends are being reaped by York City from the basement's lone international strikeforce.

So claimed top scorer Barry Conlon, who forms one half of the international duo currently leading City's rousing revival from the front.

Republic of Ireland Under-21 striker Conlon has been partnered in City's last two and half games by Welsh 'B' cap Marc Williams after Conlon's arrival as a second-half substitute to gun down Leyton Orient with a two-goal salvo.

City have amassed maximum reward from that run, the one over the eight-points haul prompting long-awaited release from a wretched start to the season.

It is a double act that is also showing ever-increasing signs of prospering. Both were on target in the 2-0 midweek win at Halifax Town.

Buoyed by that winning streak, the duo have now squarely fixed struggling Hull City in their hair-trigger sights in tomorrow's duel at Bootham Crescent.

Conlon is conscious the new City axis is still in its formative days. But as he looked back over the last sprightly fortnight, he uttered the word beloved of all front-line partnerships - 'click'.

Enthused the 21-year-old Irishman: "It's always good when both strikers score like we did the other night. That gets your confidence right up. But now we have to keep that going.

"It's funny why for some strikers they should click in certain games and sometimes for others it doesn't work out. But it looks as if it's beginning to work out for 'Willo' and myself.

"We do seem to be starting to click."

Out of City's last seven goals Conlon and Williams have totalled five - three to the Irishman, two to his partner in punishing rival defences. Before a ball was kicked in the basement many observers felt the Conlon-Williams tandem would best succeed. However, a cruel combination of injury and illness wrecked Williams' pre-season preparations leaving him way short of fitness.

Conlon, his own start to City life after his £100,000 summer arrival from Southend United interrupted by Eire under-21 call-ups and then suspension, forged unions first with Rodney Rowe, then John Williams, Anthony Ormerod and James Turley.

Now in harness with the former Halifax and Bangor City front-man the Irishman was optimistic the goals would continue to flow, especially with the supply provided by Scott Jordan and Steve Agnew.

"They are both great passers of the ball and they've brought a quality of service to the front," added Conlon.

Two-goal Williams, who was the big striking hit of City's losing battle to avoid relegation last spring, echoed the confident note.

"Me and Baz have not played that much together. But we are starting to get some sort of understanding," said Williams.

"The more we play the better it will be. Certainly, it's good when you are both scoring."

Manager Neil Thompson was understandably hoping for more of the same from his 'new' front two.

"It takes time for strikers to develop and now we need to get it out of them week in, week out," said the City boss. "It's been a bit stop-start for both of them, but hopefully they are proving a fruitful partnership."

York City v Hull City

The clubs have met 20 times in League football at York and honours are even with eight wins each and four draws.

City's biggest wins in the series were 3-0 in 1946-47 and 1974-75.

The match in April 1949 attracted a record League crowd of 21,027 to Bootham Crescent, and in 1965-66 the attendance was 19,372. Hull won both games 3-1 and 2-1 respectively.

The sides last met at York in December 1995, Hull winning 1-0.

Several players have represented both clubs including George Patterson, John Linaker, Ernie Phillips, Tommy Forgan, Norman Wilkinson, Ian Butler, Gordon Staniforth, Eddie Blackburn, Derek Hood, and Gary Swann.

Tomorrow's Teams Division Three at Bootham Crescent

YORK CITY from Mimms, Jones, Hall, Jordan, Sertori, Fairclough, Dawson, Hulme, Conlon, M Williams, Agnew, Howarth, Garratt, Bullock, Hocking, Fox, J Williams, Ormerod.

HULL CITY from Wilson, Harrison, Edwards, Whittle, Whitney, D'Auria, Joyce, Alcide, Brabin, Brown, Eyre, Baker, Harper, Schofield, Morgan, Wood, Perry, Swales.

Ref: Mike Pike (Barrow-in-Furness )

Kick-off: 3pm

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.