YORK City boss Steve Watson praised his team’s “aggressive side” as they battled to a first-ever win over bogey team Leamington.

The Minstermen had conceded late goals in their previous three contests against the Warwickshire minnows with each match ending 2-2.

But Alex Kempster’s 11th-minute goal proved sufficient to secure a fourth straight National League North success for Watson’s team, who subsequently climbed into the top half of the table for the first time since October 27.

Praising his team’s “gutsy” display, the City chief pointed out: “There are lots of different ways to win football matches. Against Nuneaton, we played good football and created lots of chances, but this game was a battle and, whilst it was an uncomfortable to watch for everybody and certainly for me, if you’re going to be successful, you need to dig out results by being gutsy.

“It was niggly and there were a lot of exchanges going on, but I don’t mind that at all and we proved we can fight games out. The ball wouldn’t stick because of the wind and the pitch and we knew it would be a tough test from minute one.

“It was hard to assert ourselves, but we kept our shape well and dug deep for 94 minutes. We might have ridden our luck a couple of times in the second half when it was backs to the wall, but we took the one chance we needed and that was enough to win us the points when Wes York put in some good work out wide, which we want him to do more of, and Alex Kempster was in the right place again.

“I don’t want to be involved in games like that every week, but it was good to see our aggressive side and the lads are starting to believe there are not many teams they need to fear at this level. They are also taking on board our messages and doing all that we are asking of them, even though you can’t get everything right all the time.”

Kempster’s goal was his fourth during Watson’s eight games in charge and the City boss admitted the former Whitley Bay forward has attained good standards during all of those matches.

“He looked like our most likely scorer all game and, whilst others have stepped up to the plate since, he started really well when I first came here and has been very consistent for me all the time,” the former Newcastle defender stressed.

Kempster followed up to net after last weekend’s marksman Hamza Bencherif, who returned to the starting XI at centre back in place of the sidelined David Mirfin, had seen another chance saved.

It is hoped on-loan Mansfield defender Mirfin will return to training on Thursday if his facial wound, that required 31 stitches, has fully healed, but Watson was pleased with Bencherif’s stand-in performance, adding: “Hamza came in and we kept another clean sheet, which was a huge positive.

“It was difficult to change the back four, because they have been performing so well, but he also played a part in the goal again with a similar type of run that saw him score the previous week. He’s very relaxed and maybe too relaxed at times, but he was the obvious choice to come in and he was as good as anybody.”

Watson also demonstrated his willingness to switch tactics during a game to safeguard victory, changing from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 as York was replaced by Josh Law before the second half’s midway point with the visitors struggling against a strong wind in their faces.

“I sacrificed a forward because we weren’t getting up the pitch and Josh reads the game well, which he did when he made a couple of important clearances,” Watson explained.

The Minstermen remain six points adrift of the play-off places having played at least a game more than every team currently placed second to seventh in the table, prompting Watson to reason that his players might need to stretch their current winning sequence to ten matches if they are to extend the season beyond April 27.

“My philosophy hasn’t changed since I came here,” he said. “We just need to win as many games as we can and see where it takes us.

“We’re not on the verge of the play-offs at the moment and we might need to win ten on the bounce to get in there, but the players need to keep performing as they are doing and maintain the same speed levels in training.”