YORK City manager Steve Watson has said he wants to make Bootham Crescent a fortress - but he accepts other teams will not make it easy for his side.

The Minstermen went top of the National League North with a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Brackley Town.

And like Farsley Celtic on Tuesday - who came away with a 0-0 draw - the Saints tried their hardest to contain City.

It was only a peach of a long-range strike from midfielder Andy Bond that separated the sides at the full-time whistle.

By contrast, last Saturday, City ran in three goals at Altrincham, who played more expansive football as the home side.

Asked if City are likely to get more joy playing away for this coming season, Watson said: "I don't want that to be the case. I understand that it might be but I want this to be our fortress, to be somewhere teams don't want to come and play."

On the Brackley game itself, which swung ever more in York's favour following the introduction of substitutes Macaulay Langstaff, Kieran Green and Wes York, Watson said: "I think it's the fact we rode the storm first half and we knew our energy levels would be good.

"It wasn't even a chance, it was a great strike from Bondy. It was accurate enough with the wind off a greasy, sheeny surface and it was right inside the post.

"I'd be slightly disappointed if our keeper didn't get it but I'm certainly not bothered he didn't.

"We've had two teams come here, make it really hard and we've got four points out of it.

"I think there's so many positives because there's so much more to come and I want the impression everybody's enjoying it.

"Ultimately, all I can do is get the players as tactically ready as possible. It's a huge bonus if the crowd is bigger and noisier.

"That will help us."

Dan Maguire, who was brought off at half-time, is a doubt for Tuesday's trip to Blyth Spartans.

Despite it being in Watson's home North East, he insists that does not affect his goals,

"It's a long season and I try to approach every game the same," he said. "The fact that it's on the doorstep of where I grew up is irrelevant.

"My full focus is on three points and keeping this going.

"I try to start operations from a place of clean sheets and I'm delighted we've only conceded one goal. I'm still disappointed we have but I'm delighted we've got two clean sheets on the back of it."