YORK City boss Terry Dolan reckons his shining stars have nothing left to fear after underlining their promotion potential against Hull.

After Saturday's gripping 1-1 derby draw with the Tigers, the Minstermen moved up to eighth in the table with just goal difference barring them from a play-off place.

"We have played every team in this division now and there has been no-one to frighten us," said Dolan.

"Everyone talks about how good a team Hull are but with this performance we showed we are just as good."

City looked well-set to collect all three points when Darren Edmondson fired City into a half-time lead with his first goal for the club in two-and-a-half years and 103 appearances.

However, Dean Keates levelled matters just six minutes into the second half before City were reduced to ten men after defender Chris Smith received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

Dolan said: "Again, against all adversity, the players have come out shining bright.

"We played with ten men for a big chunk of the second-half and we have had to dig deep again.

"The players are doing it week-in, week-out. We had a blip against Boston but I don't think we can be too critical.

"We have ended up with a point when we hoped it would have been three.

"When we went down to ten men it was going to be backs to the wall, all hands to pump, and we came out shining brightly.

"I can't be too unhappy with the fact we got a point in a game like that.

"It might only be a point as opposed to three, but they all add up."

Goalscorer Edmondson, a former junior at Hull, also reckons City deserve to be where they are in the table.

"By Christmas the league doesn't lie," he said. "Hull are a decent side but we matched them easily."

Reflecting on his first half strike from 25 yards, Edmondson said: "I've done it a few times; cut inside and then swung the left foot.

"Most of them have gone in the stands but this one was lucky enough to go into the net. Hopefully, the next one will come a bit sooner. It's been a long time coming."

Dolan declined to comment on the performance of referee Lee Cable, who dismissed Smith just past the hour mark.

Dolan said he had no complaints with the brandishing of Smith's first yellow but maintained his second, for a lunge on Ian Ashbee, was undeserved.

"Chris has gone to ground but he hasn't made any contact with Ashbee, who rolled around in agony," lamented Dolan.

Smith now faces a one-match ban and will miss the trip to Torquay on Saturday, January 11. The suspension actually starts on Saturday, January 4, but City are without a game that day as their original opponents, Shrewsbury Town, are involved in the third round of the FA Cup.

The City chief was delighted that Edmondson, who he brought to the club from Huddersfield Town back in March 2000, had finally broken his duck in front of goal.

"He has been getting a bit frustrated with himself because he has been getting in good areas and sometime he hasn't produced the final quality," explained Dolan.

"This time he was spot on and it has got us a good point."

Updated: 11:31 Monday, December 30, 2002