THE good footballing times continue to roll at Bootham Crescent as York City registered a particularly satisfying win.

True enough, City perhaps failed to match the style and panache they had displayed just days earlier against Crewe.

But that was always going to be a sizeable task in sweltering conditions and against a side many are tipping for at least a repeat of their play-off place of last season.

The win and three points aside, what was equally satisfying was City's dogged determination to keep playing football even when it struggled to flow.

And at last, and unlike for much of the two previous seasons, City are a side creating genuine chances. Balls are no longer slung aimlessly into the box with hope and as a last resort but with purpose and precision instead.

Perhaps benefitting from the switch to 4-4-2 more than most are Graham Potter and Darren Edmondson, who look players transformed as they fire in cross after cross.

But all over the park City look better balanced and more assured. Chris Brass and Lee Bullock look the complete central midfield pairing while up front Lee Nogan continues to inspire all around him with his selfless running.

Of course, a successful team is always built on solid foundations too and in Alan Fettis City have a monumental rock.

The City 'keeper made three important saves in the opening salvos as City stuttered into gear.

His most vital and impressive came on 18 minutes when a mistake by Mike Basham allowed Steve Watts to cut in from the left unopposed only to be denied by Fettis when a goal looked odds-on.

After a stuttering start, slowly City slipped into gear and after Michael Proctor had edged City closer to goal with a couple of efforts from range it was left to his strike partner, Nogan, to draw first blood with City's first effort on target.

There was an element of fortune to it, in that Nogan was tying his shoe-laces just inside the Orient half when a clearance from the visitors fell at his feet.

It meant Nogan, after rolling the ball out wide to Edmondson, had plenty of space to exploit as he charged into the Orient box virtually unnoticed.

But it still took a tremendous piece of skill to bring Edmondson's in-swinger under control with his first touch then, with his second, rocket the ball into the roof of the net in emphatic fashion.

If City were perhaps a tad fortunate to be in front at the break there could have been few complaints from Orient once City doubled their lead on the hour mark.

By then John Fielding - who had yet another fine game - Nogan and Proctor had all missed headers to add to City's tally before the latter finally did.

Again, Nogan was involved before a final decisive touch from Aidan O'Kane gave Proctor sight of goal and his delicate chip from 20 yards had Ashley Bayes in the Orient goal pawing at thin air.

As confidence surged, City had chances to extend their lead only for Mike Basham and Lee Bullock headers to hit the woodwork before Orient pegged a goal back through substitute Aaron McLean.

It was a particularly sloppy goal for the hosts to concede.

After City squandered possession in a promising position, Phil Hadland - briefly a Minsterman last season - skipped away down the right.

His cross was rather tame and afforded City ample chance to clear their lines only for the ball to finally run through to McLean, who prodded it past Fettis.

It should have made for a tense and nervy finish but the goal provided the wake-up call as City switched back on the concentration button and defended resolutely thereafter.

The confidence is creeping back at Bootham Crescent. Not just among the players but the fans too. More of the same and, just like the football, that optimism could soon be flowing.

Fact file:

York City

Scorers: Nogan 41, Proctor 59

Fettis 8, Edmondson 7, Potter 7, Basham 6 (Hocking 87min), Fielding 8, Cooper 7, Brass 8, Bullock 8, Nogan 8, Proctor 7, O'Kane 7.

Subs not used: Wood, Howarth, Emmerson, Smith.

Booked: Proctor 80 (unsporting conduct)

Sent off: None.

Leyton Orient

Scorer: McLean 73

Bayes, Joseph, Lockwood (Hadland 33min) Smith, Downer, Oakes, Harris, Houghton, Martin, Watts (Gough 62min), Ibehre (Mc-Lean 62min).

Subs not used: Beall, Morris

Booked: Gough 64 (foul), Joseph 80, Smith 90 (both unsporting conduct)

Sent off: None

Attendance: 2,661

Referee: Mike Pike (Barrow)

City's next match: v Shrewsbury, at Gay Meadow, on Tuesday, August 28, 2001. Nationwide League Div 3, kick-off 7.45pm