Exeter 0, York City 1

McEwan stressed the importance of good organisation on his first day at KitKat Crescent and, against a strong Grecians' team, his players were fully concentrated and positionally perfect in a new-look 4-5-1 formation.

Minstermen mistakes over 90 minutes could be counted on one hand even though preparations for the St James Park clash were nowhere near the meticulous standards McEwan likes to set.

City's new manager would no doubt have found an overnight stay more desirable to yesterday's 300-mile coach trip to Devon but the club's financial limitations continue to dictate such matters.

This week's North Yorkshire snow also meant McEwan frustratingly missed out on a chance to address in training some of the team's deficiencies highlighted in Saturday's 2-0 home defeat against Woking.

Instead, feeling the neccessity to change tactics after his first two games in charge, McEwan relayed instructions via a mid-afternoon team talk yesterday and his players followed them to a tee.

Rarely has every component of a City side appeared almost flawless in recent times.

However, even though three points was the reward for a real team effort, there were still some outstanding individual contributions.

Matchwinner Dave Merris and Paul D Robinson worked tirelessly on the flanks to support lone front man Andy Bishop particularly in the second half.

At the back, Paul Groves, who will have turned 39 by the time of City's next game against Barnet, was again a Collosus at the back, guiding and cajoling the three teenagers around him.

Behind him, Chris Porter, who had looked slightly susceptible in the first half when Gareth Sheldon delivered several inswinging corners, handled superbly after the break and made a string of excellent reflex saves.

Aggrieved home fans will point to statistics such as their team's 18 shots compared to City's two.

But the onus in such a game is for the play-off contenders to go out and win it and the relegation strugglers to adopt a battle plan to earn points as they scrap for their lives.

It is true City might have only stepped in their hosts' penalty box once before the break but, having been cautious while assessing Exeter in the opening 45 minutes, Robinson and Merris foraged further forward in the second half with the latter looking particularly dangerous.

The early signs had been less encouraging though as City's new system seemed to experience a few teething problems.

Sheldon stung Porter's hands with a vicious volley while Sean Devine fired wastefully over and wide, having ran clear of the City defence on two occasions.

Defender Chris Todd also headed into the side-netting after Sheldon's 28th-minute corner to the far post.

But the visitors seemed to then familarise themselves with their tactical switch and Porter's goal was relatively untroubled until Merris broke the deadlock on 62 minutes.

Just eight minutes earlier, the left-winger had signalled a warning with the Minster-men's first shot of the match, flicking the ball over the Exeter defence and charging clear on goal before forcing a low save from Paul Jones.

The energetic Merris grabbed his second goal of the season when an alert Robinson intercepted Sheldon's suicidal back pass, rounded Jones and perfectly picked out his team-mate, who had charged towards the penalty spot.

Merris then saw his deflected low right-footed effort nestle into the bottom corner and send the loyal and vocal City following into raptures.

The goal seemed to reinvigorate Exeter's attacking efforts and Devine's 20-yard lob beat Porter but hit the bar.

Substitute Les Afful sidefooted in on 67 minutes but his effort was ruled offside and Kevin Donovan, playing in the centre of midfield, stuck out a leg to clear Andy Taylor's rasping drive off the line.

Porter then pulled off a brilliant left-handed stop to keep out Afful's half-volley before the City 'keeper covered himself in more glory by parrying Taylor's fierce 25-yard drive and saving at Devine's feet as he looked to follow.

The officials ensured a nailbiting finale by displaying three minutes of stoppage time and playing four.

Lee Phillips' header had City's nerves jangling but, having beaten Porter, landed on top of the netting and McEwan had his first win as City manager at the third attempt.

Match facts:

Nationwide Conference

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

at St James Park

Exeter 0

York City 1 (Merris 62)

City ratings:

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

Porter 9

Law 8

Maloney 8

Groves 9

Davies 8

Paul D Robinson 9

Webster 8

Donovan 8

Dunning 8

Merris 9

Bishop 8

Exeter: Paul Jones, Scott Hiley, Gary Sawyer, Chris Todd, Alex Jeannin, Gareth Sheldon, Andy Taylor, Kwame Ampadu (Marcus Martin, 79), Dean Moxey (Les Afful, 33), Sean Devine, Steve Flack (Lee Phillips, 56). Subs not used: Martin Rice, Jake Edwards.

Yellow cards: Merris 13, Paul D Robinson 27, Ampadu 27.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Roger Vaughan (Somerset). Rating: Very competent

Attendance: 2,038.

Weather watch: Cold but not as chilly as North Yorkshire.

Game breaker: Had Sean Devine taken either of his early chances the outcome could have been different.

Match rating: Tactically intriguing and a nailbiting ending.

Player watch: Byron Webster

Shots on target: 0.

Shots off target: 0.

Blocked shots: 0.

Passes to own player: 6.

Passes to opposition: 8.

Crosses to own player: 0.

Crosses to opposition: 0.

Pass success rate: 42.9 per cent.

Dribbles ball retained: 2. Dribbles ball lost: 1.

Dribble success rate: 66.7 per cent.

Headers: 8. Tackles: 13. Offsides: 1.

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 6.

Free kicks won: 3. Free-kicks conceded: 1. Bookings: 0.

Final summary: Made a terrific 13 tackles in City's new-look three-man engine room alongside Kevin Donovan and Darren Dunning. Might be slightly disappointed with his distribution but the teenage midfielder continues to mature.

Updated: 10:21 Wednesday, February 23, 2005