EMBARASSED York City players were afforded a heroes' reception having finished a depressing season with a 4-0 hammering of desperate Farnborough.

The victory, however welcome after a nine-match win-less run, should not though detract from the stark reality that the club has ended its first Conference campaign in a sorry 17th position.

City's first 4-0 home triumph in more than ten years should also be placed in context with the standard of opposition faced because Farnborough will be a Conference South side next season and could be heading for oblivion.

At least, the result gave some cheer to the Minstermen's success-starved fans and the staggering ovation for the team at the end of the match, given by a significant percentage of Saturday's 2,000-strong home following, begs the question of how will this generation of unswervingly loyal supporters respond if Billy McEwan can conjure together a winning team?

City fans, in recent times, have turned up through a sense of duty and belonging to their club not usually through any notion of being entertained or receiving value for their money.

That patience must be rewarded soon with better performances on the field and not just against sub-standard and troubled opposition like Farnborough.

Bryan Stewart's wing play has brought a refreshing new dimension to City on the flanks during the final games of the season and it must be hoped that he can gain and maintain full fitness over the summer and flourish with an uninterrupted run of matches in the next campaign after scoring his first senior goal on Saturday.

Top scorer Andy Bishop also grabbed his 12th of the season and has the potential to increase that tally with better service, while enigmatic pair Lev Yalcin and Paul D Robinson offered reminders, perhaps belated, of their talent with decent strikes.

At the back, City were less assured and, a better team would have punished some lackadaisical defending.

The home side could have fallen behind after just five minutes when David Stockdale's poor clearance fell straight to Farnborough striker Stephen Hughes but the teenage goalkeeper redeemed himself by rushing out to block his shot.

Bishop opened the scoring on nine minutes and ended an agonising 494-minute wait for a City goal by climbing well to meet Kevin Donovan's measured cross from the left and heading firmly past Craig Holloway.

Donovan then delivered two almost identical crosses to give loan striker Ben Jackson two heading opportunities to open his City account.

The Doncaster Rovers forward's first effort thudded against the underside of the crossbar and his second went inches over.

Stewart doubled City's advantage on 53 minutes, creating space for a powerfully-struck, 12-yard shot that rifled into the roof of the net.

At the other end, Stockdale tipped over a rising drive from Hughes and Michael Charles then squandered an excellent chance from just six yards.

Yalcin showed greater composure on the hour mark, beating Holloway at his near post with a low 12-yard drive after a sweeping pass from Bishop, who went close to getting his second when he expertly collected substitute Kyle Armstrong's long throw into the box but his deft lob over the Farnborough 'keeper also cleared the bar.

The hapless Charles then wasted another gilt-edged opportunity and Stockdale later denied Lloyd Blackman when he raced clear.

Nimble footwork from substitute Paul D Robinson ended with a disguised chip that had Holloway completely beaten but bounced just wide from 20 yards. Robinson did get his name on the scoresheet for only the second time this season when Bishop and Jackson crafted a chance that he finished with aplomb, driving across the goal and finding Holloway's bottom right-hand corner.

His strike secured City's biggest home victory since a 4-0 Boxing Day mauling of Blackpool in 1994.

But a lot of work is required before the club's supporters are acclaiming such a scoreline again.

Match facts

Nationwide Conference

Saturday, April 23, 2005

at KitKat Crescent

York City 4 (Bishop 9, Stewart 53, Yalcin 60, P D Robinson 90)

Farnborough 0

City ratings

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Stockdale 6

Law 7 (Armstong 63m 6)

Groves 7

Davis 6

Merris 7 (Smith 69m 6)

Yalcin 7

Webster 7 (Paul D Robinson 69m 7)

Donovan 8

Stewart 8

Bishop 8

Jackson 7

Farnborough: Holloway, Allen-Page, Theo, Smith, Fenton, Taggart, Johnson (Canham 57), Rooney (Heeroo 74), Hughes (Charles 57), Blackman, Gibbs. Subs (not used): Hamilton, Ashwood.

Yellow cards: Heeroo 75.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Colin Harwood (Greater Manchester). Rating: Typified generally good standard of Conference refereeing this season.

Attendance: 2,033.

Weather watch: Warm and dry.

Game breaker: Stewart's second goal gave City rare opportunity to play with expression.

Match rating: Overdue entertainment for City fans but Farnborough were woeful.

Player watch: Ben Jackson

Shots on target: 1

Shots off target: 1

Blocked shots: 1.

Passes to own player: 17.

Passes to opposition: 3.

Crosses to own player: 0.

Crosses to opposition: 0.

Pass success rate: 85 per cent.

Dribbles ball retained: 3. Dribbles ball lost: 8.

Dribble success rate: 37.5 per cent.

Headers: 7. Tackles: 1. Offsides: 0.

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 1.

Free kicks won: 2. Free-kicks conceded: 0. Bookings: 0.

Final summary: Probably on-loan striker Ben Jackson's best game in a City shirt. Rarely gave away possession, claimed two assists and was unlucky not to score with a couple of first half headers.

Updated: 09:55 Monday, April 25, 2005