YORK City manager Martin Foyle hailed highly-rated teenager Adam Boyes as a “future star” after his first senior goal helped fire the KitKat Crescent club to within a point of safety.

Boyes, 18, opened the scoring in last night’s 2-1 home victory over Forest Green, with an own goal by visiting ’keeper Terry Burton doubling City’s advantage after Richard Brodie’s strike had cannoned back off the crossbar.

Forest Green’s Marcus Palmer grabbed a late consolation but the Minstermen went on to claim maximum points and now know they need only a draw from either of their last two games – at Weymouth on Friday night or Lewes on Sunday – to ensure Blue Square Premier survival.

Foyle, though, is not relaxing yet, saying: “When we are mathematically safe, I will allow myself a smile.

“I don’t want it to go to the last game though because the sooner we can start preparing for the future and Wembley the better.”

About Boyes’ contribution last night, the City boss added: “I’m absolutely delighted for him.

“He’s a young boy learning the trade and, even though he’s probably not strong enough yet to play in the front line, he works very had on the right or left and deserved his goal.

“One or two people in the crowd seem to have a go at him which is a bit unfair because if they support him he could be a star for the future.”

Boyes and fellow wide man Adam Smith swapped flanks during an entertaining encounter at KitKat Crescent and Foyle admitted afterwards that 4-4-2 is his favoured formation.

He said: “I’ve always been a 4-4-2 man. Sometimes you need to change things if you are a bit weak in certain areas to shore things up and we got a few results at the right time playing a different way even if there were a lot of draws.

“But I do like 4-4-2 if you have wide players willing to work.

“Adam Smith got some great crosses in and we are getting more from him now. The strikers are champing at the bit to get on the end of his deliveries.”

City moved up a further place to sixth-bottom last night after leapfrogging Barrow in the table.

The victory also means Woking are now down with Weymouth, Barrow and City contesting the final relegation place.