YORK City boss Neal Ardley believes that yesterday's 2-0 victory at AFC Fylde was the best performance of his time in charge thus far.

Scott Burgess' first City goal in four and a half years was followed by a Ryan Fallowfield tap-in just before the half-hour mark as the Minstermen ran out deserved victors in a crucial match at the bottom of the Vanarama National League table.

Despite Fylde coming back well after the break, George Sykes-Kenworthy's goal was seldom threatened, the former Bradford (Park Avenue) goalkeeper making his only save of the match with 10 minutes left to play.

"Certainly from my time [it was the best performance]," Ardley enthused. "I don't know what happened before, but that was the most complete performance.

"I think that we've had a good 45 minutes here or there and that we've had good spells in games, but from minute one to minute 90, everything I worked on and asked them to do, they absolutely nailed it." 

Ardley admits that it is hard to know what to expect of his team of late, but felt that they contained Fylde's pace and attacking threat well to earn a second consecutive clean sheet.

"We're tossing the coin with what we're going to get at the moment because we are where we are," he conceded.

"But when you start winning games and you do things consistently, you get that confidence where you know what you're going to get.

"We haven't got to that stage yet.

"But I know how fast [Fylde] start, they were 2-0 up against Oldham after about 15 minutes, and it could have been more.

"They've got so much pace in their team, they're a good team. Their two full-backs have pace, their two wingers are pacey, [Nick] Haughton is a superb player, and they're strong at the top.

"I knew that we had to get everything right, otherwise they could expose us and cause us problems, and I thought that we did that."

Despite a nervy start, City never looked back after Burgess turned in Fallowfield's dangerous low cross on the volley six minutes into the contest, and were more than good value for their comfortable half-time lead.

Both goals were the products of flowing counter-attacking moves taking advantage of an overload on the wings, something the Minstermen had focused their efforts on in training this week.

"Obviously, the early goal did help us out," Ardley admitted.

"What it does to the opposition is that they've got to chase the game, so maybe they're not as patient as they might have been.

"But when you look at the chances, they've had very little, and we've had some great chances.

"The counter-attack, the speed, time and again during the week, we did loads of work with wing back and front wide forward because they're a back four.

"If you look at the first goal, Paddy [McLaughlin] into Kai [Kennedy] and then Paddy goes on the underlap, it comes back out to Greenie [Olly Green] and you've got the other wing back arriving into the box to square it to.

"We have it in our system that you have to throw some bodies forward if you're going to try and score goals, and we took our chances as well."