AFTER months of almost willing this troubled season to draw to a close, York City are suddenly making a good case for wanting it to run and run.

The Minstermen are going out on a high and, in terms of results at least, few of their recent flurry of victories were as satisfying as Saturday's 3-1 win at home to Mansfield.

Previous outings have been against sides with little left but pride to play for, but Mansfield's desperate need for a win to maintain their hopes of an automatic promotion spot meant that this was always going to be a good test for City's newly found credentials.

If this was the acid test to ascertain whether City's red revival is genuine they certainly passed it, perhaps not with flying colours but certainly with praise ringing in their ears.

There is little doubt that the Minstermen were fortunate to be on level terms at the break.

Mansfield dominated possession in the first-half and went close to breaking the deadlock on 16 minutes, only for Stuart Reddington's header from Wayne Corden's corner to crash against the crossbar.

City, their passing poor and inaccurate, rarely had control of the ball never mind the game.

But therein lies one good cause for optimism for next season.

While City's midfield and attack were disparate, the Minstermen's back line, marshalled superbly again by Chris Brass, with Scott Jones and youngster Stuart Wise proving perfect foils, were solidity and concentration personified.

As the City skipper said in the pre-match build-up, when it's 'horrible', City have got to scratch and fight and battle their way through the blues.

On this evidence his words have been heeded and, just as importantly, the reward when they do has been made obvious.

Five minutes before the break Mansfield took the lead their possession warranted, but there was little that could have been done from a City point of view.

As the unsubtle Andy White threatened to barge his way through the City defence, Brass made an important interception but the ball ran kindly for Adam Murray, who let rip from 25 yards and gave Alan Fettis no chance.

If anything, the goal wiped the sleep from City's eyes and almost immediately, from their first corner of the game and with their first effort on target, the Minstermen drew level.

Stephen Brackstone's corner dropped to the far post where Lee Nogan nodded the ball home for his 100th League goal.

City's forward play had hardly warranted parity, but the team's defensive resolve had reaped dividends and kept them in the game.

As the atmosphere cranked up at the start of the second half the Stags continued to pepper City's goal. But just as the half looked well set to follow the pattern of the first, City took the lead.

Brackstone dropped a delicious ball in behind the Mansfield defence, Jon Parkin brushed aside the attention of Adam Barrett and, spotting Kevin Pilkington off his line, carefully lifted the ball beyond the visitors' goalkeeper for his first goal at Bootham Crescent.

The tide was slowly turning and the sense that this might be City's day was just about confirmed on the hour mark when Scott Sellars' free-kick hit the crossbar and Barrett's follow-up header was hooked off the line by Aidan O'Kane.

To hammer home the point, a few minutes later City grabbed their third goal.

Substitute Christian Fox had been on the field only a few minutes, but his delicate chip forward released Michael Proctor in the inside left channel.

The on-loan City striker cut inside his marker before hitting an unstoppable shot beyond Pilkington from the edge of the area.

Mansfield continued to press and Fettis produced superb saves to deny David Kelly and then Murray.

But City went close to adding a fourth goal when Brass rolled the ball to Nogan, who set Proctor, a transfer deadline-day target for the Stags, clear on goal.

The City hit-man steadied himself but with only Pilkington left to beat Proctor curled his shot the wrong side of an upright.

It would have been the icing on the cake for City, but it still remained a sweet tasting victory, rich reward for resolution as much as anything else.

York City:

Scorers: Nogan 44m, Parkin 54m, Proctor 67m

Fettis 7, Edmondson 6, Wise 7 (Fox 65mins 6), Brass 8, Jones 7, O'Kane 7, Wood 6, Brackstone 6, Parkin 7, Proctor 6, Nogan 7

Subs, not used: Howarth, Mathie, Smith, Yalcin

Bookings: Wise 60m (unsporting conduct)

Mansfield:

Scorer: Murray 40m

Pilkington, Hassell, Barrett (Kelly 68m),Reddin-gton,Tankard,Sellars,Murray,Williamson(Disley79m),Corden,Greenacre,White.

Subs, not used: Bingham, Clarke, Pemberton

Bookings: White 60m (unsporting conduct)

Attendance: 5,460

Referee: Richard Beeby (Northampton)

Updated: 09:34 Monday, April 15, 2002