HOME fire can fuel a York City power-trek into the Division Three play-off orbit.

That was the main entry in the captain's log of skipper Chris Brass ahead of the Minstermen's Bootham Crescent brace against Kidderminster today and then relegation-haunted Exeter Town next Saturday.

Despite Saturday's single-goal reverse at Lincoln City bringing York's six-game unbeaten surge crashing to earth Brass was upbeat about the chances of the next six days shaping the club's destiny towards the promotion play-off frame.

City went into today's showdown with the Harriers in ninth place - the first time they have strayed out of the play-off pack for more than a month.

But with the roars of approval from the City faithful they could again re-ignite the club's bid to extend an astounding campaign beyond its May 3 finish at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium.

Declared Brass: "We got fantastic support at Lincoln and I'm sure they'll turn out over the next two games as we know there's going to be a big contingent at Oxford on the last day of the season.

"The supporters have bought the club, backed the club, and are now running the club and having them at our ground to cheer us on will give us a big lift.

"So as long as they can help us then we can repay them for everything they have done."

The City skipper added that no matter how the season was to ultimately pan out, City had performed exceptionally given the off-the-field drama during which the club came within minutes of ceasing to exist.

"We've had a great season so far. But we've got the two home games now in which we have to ensure we cement our play-off place," said Brass sporting a shiner from his heroics at Sincil Bank.

"Before the season started we would have settled for a place in the play-offs, so it would be nice if we can replay the fans now by doing that."

Of the defeat at Lincoln he said that the Minstermen had 'expected to win' and were disappointed they had not capitalised on a sound start.

"We just forced it a little bit in the second half. We knew we had to get something out of the game to keep us in with a chance of an automatic promotion," said Brass.

"Unfortunately the chances we had did not go in and I don't think we could have done much more than we did apart from score. To their credit Lincoln defended very well.

"But it's good to know we have got a game against Kidderminster today to re-group and get three points. If we can get wins out of the next two home games then that should put us back in the play-off picture and we can take it from there."

Updated: 11:08 Monday, April 21, 2003