YORK City are united again as they prepare for the visit of Bristol Rovers to Bootham Crescent tomorrow, according to midfield master Mitch Ward.

Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Darlington ended a run of three successive defeats for the Minstermen but, more importantly reckons Ward, it was City's display that realised genuine cause for optimism.

"After the previous three games it was important we didn't get beat," reasoned the former Everton and Sheffield United schemer.

"But it was really the performance that was more important."

The work-rate and the organisation were back against Darlington and we looked more like a team again. It was good to get back on track."

Ward maintains City's young squad are learning all the time, with the problem of raised expectations proving a major lesson to heed.

"When you are top it is a different experience, particularly for the younger lads," said the 32-year- old.

"There is more pressure on you to perform well. When you are down at the bottom the pressure to perform is not nearly as much because people are expecting you to get beat.

"It is a different sort of pressure, but you want to stay up there as long as you can and if we keep performing like we did against Darlington then we will pick points up."

Ward reckons City have at least proved character and resilience aplenty in bouncing back sharply after three consecutive defeats piled on the pressure.

"It can dent your confidence, especially losing three games back to back," said Ward.

"But we have showed there is a good spirit there and the lads really are hungry to do well.

"It will be a tough game against Bristol Rovers but if we can apply ourselves like we did against Darlington I'm sure we can get three points.

"If we do that it will be four points for the week and we would have settled for that."

Updated: 11:17 Friday, September 19, 2003