YORK City skipper Chris Brass hailed the Minstermen's 3-1 win over Cambridge United as their most important result of the season so far.

The three-point haul was not enough to put City back among the play-off places, with the Minstermen moving up just one place in the Division Three table to tenth.

However, after two successive defeats and three draws the return to winning ways kept Terry Dolan's side within three points of third-place and an automatic promotion spot.

As significantly for Brass, the win has also given City a massive mental boost with just ten games of the season remaining.

"I think these were the biggest three points of the season so far. We knew it was a must win," he told the Evening Press.

"They are all going to be important games in the run-in but, psychologically, after two defeats it was important we bounced back in the right manner."

Around of 72 points is normally required for teams with play-off ambitions but Brass insisted City had not set themselves a points target.

"It is an old clich but we have just got to take it game to game," he maintained.

"We have got ten games and realistically seven wins could give you automatic promotion. Win half of the games and you are going to be in the play-offs.

"But it now looks like the division has been split into two leagues.

"We have started at the bottom of the top league but this result has taken us up the table.

"If we can continue to make progress, hopefully we will have a great chance of promotion."

City chief Dolan was equally delighted with the result after describing the match prior to kick-off as "vital" for his team's promotion hopes.

Dolan shuffled his attack, dropping Anthony Shandran to the bench and pushing Lee Nogan up front alongside Jon Parkin after playing in a more withdrawn role of late.

With Cambridge enjoying a 1-0 half-time lead, Dolan's gamble was rewarded after the break with Parkin grabbing his tenth goal of the season to level the scores before Nogan fired City in front with his first goal of 2003.

The icing on the cake came with Shandran coming off the bench and scoring deep into stoppage time to seal the win.

The City manager revealed goalscorer Nogan was only passed fit 90 minutes before kick-off, after picking up a foot injury in midweek.

"Once I knew he was okay I wanted to move him up front because he has that bit more experience and in the hope he could hold the ball up better," explained Dolan.

"Anthony has had six or seven games on the bounce, prior to that he'd only played a couple of reserve games all season, and because he had only scored one goal I think he was trying a bit too hard.

"I told him to relax a little bit and watch it from the sides and if we needed to put him on to get the winning goal we would do it.

"It wasn't the winning goal but he got a goal and I'm sure he will be a lot more happy now."

Updated: 11:27 Monday, March 10, 2003