IT WAS just about worth the wait.

On a night of notable firsts, York City recorded their first League win of 2002 and their first three point haul in more than three months with a tremendous victory over their arch rivals Hull, their first at Bootham Crescent in almost seven years.

Michael Proctor scored his first goal in nine attempts while the icing on the cake was provided by Peter Duffield who, making his first start in 16 months, grabbed his first senior goal since September 2000.

The triumph could be deemed sweet revenge for City's 4-0 mauling at the hands of the Tigers at Boothferry Park last September, a defeat that has lingered long in the minds of Minstermen.

But more important than vengeance was the fact the win was richly deserved.

City did more than maintain the energy and vibrancy shown against Fulham just days earlier - they surpassed it.

Indeed, there can be no higher accolade than to suggest it was as good a performance from the Minstermen as that produced against Grimsby Town earlier this month.

That was reckoned to be one of City's best displays for many a year but in terms of endeavour, excitement and passion last night was equally as good.

Any number of City players could have claimed the man of the match award.

Proctor ran the Hull defence ragged, Duffield was a breath of fresh air, Chris Brass covered just about every blade of grass while Richard Cooper had perhaps his best game yet in a City shirt.

The defence was impeccable, none more so than Mike Basham, who was almost arrogant in his shackling of Lawrie Dudfield and Neil Roberts, while Matt Hocking also enjoyed a fine game against his former club.

But in truth every player in a red shirt played their part.

It was a regal team performance and certainly the bumper crowd of 6,500 were royally entertained.

Both teams attacked from the off but it was City who drew first blood on 13 minutes.

Duffield showed his ability to link-up play by releasing Proctor and the in-demand striker raced clear.

One-on-one with Paul Musselwhite in the Hull goal, Proctor's first effort hit the post but the ball ran kindly for the City striker, who side-footed home at the second attempt.

Within a blink of an eye, City had doubled their advantage as Proctor this time turned provider for Duffield.

Proctor's shot from the inside right channel cannoned back off the post to his striker partner hovering on the edge of the area, who wasted no time in rifling an unerring drive into the roof of net.

City's tactic of playing three-up front was threatening to reap a whirlwind. The Hull defence, pulled this way and that, had no answer to City's movement and perpetual motion.

Unsure whether to go tight or stand-off the uncertainty spread throughout the team.

Just past the half-hour mark, Proctor had a good chance to add a third when Graham Potter launched the ball beyond the Hull rearguard.

Proctor sprung forward again and spotting Musselwhite off his line attempted a lob but failed to make a clean connection enabling the Hull keeper to make a comfortable save.

Just before half-time, City thought they had grabbed a third when Cooper bundled home at the far post following an excellent cross from Potter.

It would have been Cooper's first goal for City and would have put the tie beyond doubt only for the assistant referee to spot an offside and curb the celebrations.

Not surprisingly, Hull upped the tempo after the break.

But it was only on 50 minutes that the Tigers finally registered a shot on target, the bustling David Beresford cutting in from the right and unleashing a low drive that had Fettis at full-stretch to turn around the post.

Encouragingly, City remained neat and purposeful in possession and such was their superiority Hull manager Brian Little was forced to take drastic action with a triple substitution.

His decision to haul off wingers Ryan Williams and Beresford in particular brought howls of derision from the Hull crowd but it was a tactic that reaped instant dividends.

Former City striker Rodney Rowe had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds when he was upended by the luckless Cooper to earn Hull a penalty, which he duly converted sending Fettis the wrong way.

Hull continued to press, Rowe firing in a dipping volley that just cleared the cross bar before being denied by a brave block from Fettis after Brass's back-pass fell short.

But in truth, City remained relatively unruffled and with Proctor busting a gut as he chased and harried City did more than hang on and instead coasted home.

The night was tinged with sadness for City by the sight of Cooper being stretchered from the field in the dying embers.

He was taken to hospital for treatment to a badly gashed leg following a crunching challenge from Hull skipper Nicky Mohan.

But even that could not sour the taste of the sweetest of evenings for City, who can now look forward to claiming yet more notable firsts on Saturday against Lincoln - their first double of the campaign and their second successive win of the season.

Updated: 09:29 Wednesday, January 30, 2002