IT has not been much fun being a York City supporter lately (well, for the past eight years actually) but Tuesday night's gutsy and skilful display against Conference leaders Barnet washed away the pain.

I know these are early days, but everything manager Billy McEwan says and does is spot on.

It took two of City's greatest post-war managers, Tom Johnston and John Ward, much longer to turn things around.

McEwan hasn't had much to work with, but decisions like playing Kevin Donovan in the centre of a five-man midfield and Paul D Robinson on the right, where his skill and pace are always a threat, shows that he is capable of making the best of what he's got. Once again Paul Groves and Jon Maloney were superb at the back, while Graeme Law hardly put a foot wrong. Even Shaun Smith looked better than usual, though I would still prefer Dave Merris to play at left full-back with Bryan Stewart in the left of midfield.

McEwan has highlighted how tactically inept both Chris Brass and Viv Busby were (how ridiculous, it was, for example, to play Groves in midfield and to drop Law).

Yes, there's a long way to go, but we are just about clear of the relegation mire now, so there will soon be a chance to relax and experiment.

A York-based Barnet fan I took to Tuesday's game was amazed at how much City had improved since he last saw them a couple of years ago. A couple of years ago? I told him he would have been even more amazed if he had seen them a couple of months ago.

Robert Beaumont,

Minskip Lodge,

Minskip,

Nr Boroughbridge,

York.

Updated: 09:02 Saturday, March 05, 2005