Lincoln City 1 York City 3

The 3-1 win over Lincoln City was every bit as assured as the 3-0 thumping dished out to Torquay United last month, if not more so.

It would not be an over exaggeration to say City could have had six on Saturday and if there was a fault it was that they had not put the game beyond doubt before Lincoln threatened a late fightback.

But on so many levels this was a fine City performance, metering out misery on a shell-shocked Imps with no shortage of swagger.

Confidence, concentration, work-rate, resolve, penetration; City held the upper hand in so many areas.

Crucially too they pulled the rug from under their early season bete-noir, sluggish beginnings, with a perfect start on Saturday thanks to a perfect execution from the outstanding Michael Proctor.

The on-loan Sunderland striker, who worked so hard for little reward against Plymouth in midweek, got his just desserts within 90 seconds with a goal that had class stamped all over it.

Receiving the ball from Richard Cooper with his back to goal on the edge of Imps' penalty area and chaperoned closely by two Lincoln defenders, Proctor still had much to do.

But within the blink of an eye, a flick of the ball and a sharp turn both Steve Holmes and Paul Morgan were left for dead and with just the 'keeper left to beat Proctor carefully lifted the ball over Alan Marriott.

A good start just got better for City on 15 minutes. From a quickly taken corner, Graham Potter crossed and Lee Bullock, ghosting in unmarked from midfield, sent a glancing header goalwards enabling Chris Brass to lash the ball home from just a yard out.

A brilliant start threatened to become an unbelievable one just three minutes later when a delightful reverse pass from Nogan released Proctor, who again squeezed himself between the twin pillars of Holmes and Morgan. Proctor took the shot early and the ball rolled down his shin and wide but such a golden chance merely emphasised just how in control City were.

Lincoln were not without their share of possession but were perhaps guilty of over elaboration and the half-chances they did create were never more than that.

And for all the Imps' faults, the work ethic of City could not be faulted. Once possession was lost they got behind the ball, squeezed the space and ushered the Imps into blind alley after blind alley.

Focused and concentrated in defence, in attack City's balls in from the flanks and from set-pieces were delivered with cobra pace and venom.

From another superbly executed Graham Potter corner a Brass header was hacked off the line by Stuart Bimson before Bullock then headed just wide from another fine set-piece from the same source.

With little to lose, Lincoln flung on striker Dave Cameron in place of defender Jason Barnett at the break but despite the added firepower it was City who continued to control the game.

It took a fine one-handed save from Marriott to deny Bullock's carefully directed shot after neat-link-up play with Lee Nogan and the same two combined again just five minutes later with Bullock again forcing another sharp save from Marriott.

In between those efforts, Lincoln skipper John Finningan wasted a gilt-edged opportunity to grab Lincoln a lifeline when he fired into the side-netting with an angled-drive.

But it was City who continued to pose the questions with the increasingly influential Nogan and Cooper both forcing a hat-trick of saves from the increasingly overworked Marriott.

It wouldn't be City without a few anxious moments however and sure enough from a position of such superiority a defensive lapse just eight minutes from time threatened to undo their good work.

A long Bimson throw was never properly dealt with and after a bout of head tennis the ball dropped at Cameron's feet and from six-yards the striker couldn't miss.

Having seemingly been accepting of their fate, the Imps suddenly, but not surprisingly, were jolted into life. Fettis had to be alert to grab Peter Gain's far post header from under the bar before Holmes headed over from eight yards from Kingsley Black's corner.

But with nerves fraying it was somehow fitting that Proctor having had the first word should also have the final one.

Nicking possession inside the Minstermen half, he released Nogan into space.

With Lincoln caught short, the former Welsh international raced clear and while his angled shot was saved by Marriott the ball rolled into the path of Proctor who, despite having raced some 60 yards, remained composed to squeeze it home from a tight angle and secure a deserved victory.

Lincoln City 1 York City 3

Lincoln City: Marriott, Barnett (Cameron HT), Holmes, Morgan, Bimson, Black, Sedgemore, Finnigan (Brown 70), Gain, Battersby (Walker 70m), Thorpe. Subs, not used: Pettinger, Buckley Bookings: Thorpe 35m (foul) Sent-off: None, Scorers: Cameron 82

York City: Fettis 7, Edmondson 8, Hocking 7, Basham 8, Maley 7, Cooper 7 (Salvati 90), Brass 7, Bullock 7, Potter 7, Nogan 8, Proctor 8. Subs, not used: Howarth, Mathie, Richardson, Fielding Bookings: None Sent-off: Scorers: Proctor 2, 90, Brass 15

Man of the match: Michael Proctor Together with Lee Nogan worked tirelessly to unsettle the Lincoln defence. Some sublime touches and two goals including a top class opener ensured he just shaded the accolade from his strike partner