GOALS pay the rent was one of the exhortations of excitable commentator David Coleman.

WINNER: Prize girl at Bootham Crescent was 11-year-old Emma Lawrence. She won a 'design a Mother's Day card' competition organised by the club's Football In The Community programme. She was presented with her booty by FITC helpers Jonathan Pickering (left) and Chris Coates.

And it's precisely the goals that York City have scored that could eventually dictate whether they will hang on to their Division Two tenancy and avoid eviction.

There was a palpable fear that once Richard Cresswell was sold to Sheffield Wednesday on deadline day for a deal that will ultimately realise more than £1million that the Minstermen's principal source of goals would dry up. After all his 19 goals constituted more than a third of the team's total haul.

But so far that has not proved the case, much to the collective relief of all at the Crescent.

As a striking force City have proved there is life in the wake of Cresswell's departure with goals scored in every game since Cresswell's move to the top-flight.

Before this afternoon's visits by ailing Stoke City the Minstermen could boast a goals for account bettered by no-one other than Bristol Rovers in the bottom half of the division. That tally of 51 goals, which they hoped to increase against the Potters, is effectively worth an extra point to City in the battle to escape relegation.

The blossoming of new recruit Marc Williams - three goals in six games since joining from Halifax Town - has lessened the impact of Cresswell's absence.

The return to senior duty too of caretaker-manager Neil Thompson has swelled the potency of City's goals-quest, while midfielder Scott Jordan could not have picked a more opportune time to demonstrate that he is proving just as deadly from set-pieces.

It is equally true that City's defence continues to be the most generous in the division. They have now conceded 72 goals. But it's goals for that count. And it could be just what City can bank on as they seek safety over the final nap hand of games.A HULL 'hang-over' was little to cheer about for City newcomer Matt Hocking.

The utility player had just made his breakthrough in the senior ranks with an impressive full start at Luton Town. Then, on-loan Hocking was forced out through suspension thanks to five bookings collected with Hull City.

But the 21-year-old is keen to get a further chance to impress on his 'second City' chance.

Though he still has another year of his contract to see out with the Tigers, Boston-born Hocking was not confident his future lay at the Third Division club.

"I was glad to come here and I would love to stay at York City, where I think there's a lot of potential," said Hocking, who spent three years as a trainee at Sheffield United before joining Hull City last season.

The versatility Hocking offers in a variety of positions may just be enough to clinch firmer interest from the Minstermen at the end of the season, certainly if caretaker manager Neil Thompson has any eventual say. "Matt has done well here and he is one I am looking at," said Thompson.CITY'S trip back from Northampton turned into a long day's journey into early morning.

The first-team coach broke down shortly after leaving the Sixfields Stadium, a leaking water hose at fault. A call was then made to the supporters' coach, which had travelled 22 miles out of Northampton before returning to the stricken vehicle at Watford Gap services station.

Six fans volunteered to give up their seats to allow all the players to get back to York, leaving an even longer wait before that nap hand of supporters, the directors, head of youth development Adie Shaw and physiotherapist Jeff Miller eventually got home. It was the first time in 12 years that City had suffered a breakdown.

The six who gave up their seats are to be recompensed by the club.AS a follow-on from last week's 'Kelly's Eye' piece about Burnley die-hard Dave 'Ralphie' Burnley, news has come in to the sportsdesk about ardent City fan Trevor Hutchinson.

Like Clarets' follower Burnley, Trevor has not missed a City match for well over two decades. And his dedication to the cause was never more sharply illustrated than at last season's game at Brentford, where City won 2-1. After attending a family wedding in Malton at 11am Trevor boarded a train to the capital to arrive at the Bees' Griffin Park base at 4.20pm. Just as he entered the ground he was rewarded by seeing the winning goal poached by Barry Jones. Now that's devotion.

SUNDAY opening scored a big hit at City's club shop when they traded last Sunday with a mini-sale. Enthused commercial assistant James Richardson: "We took much more than we do of a Saturday. It was an absolute blinder."SUNDERLAND'S momentous capture of a return to the FA Premier League ensures a rare hat-trick for City. Midfielder Darren Williams can now look with relish to appearing again in the top-flight alongside former City team-mates Richard Cresswell (Sheffield Wednesday) and Jonathan Greening (Manchester United).KEEN spectator at City's win over Millwall was former City assistant manager Viv Busby.

He was taking in a game at his former stamping-ground, where he was part of a winning combination with manager Denis Smith, after returning from a five-months coaching stint in Greece with the Ethnikos club.SO it's goodbye Shippo. The larger than life mascot that first came into being several seasons ago is soon about to wave its last paw.

The genial king of the jungle is to be replaced by another mascot, which will be paraded at City's final home game of the season against Bournemouth on May 1.

Whoever is the new incarnation let's hope it is blessed with less of a weighty costume than that which left lead in the boots of the lion that never soared. TRAVEL Club details for City's last two away games of the season at Macclesfield (April 24) and Manchester City (May 8) are both leave at 12noon at £8 for TC members (£10 non-members).YORK City author Dave Windross has shed some light on the old City reserves line-up taken at Fulfordgate which was published last week.

The Hulme on the front row was Joe Hulme, who went on to play for Arsenal and England. The Hendry on the back row is Nick Hendry, the goalkeeper who also did some coaching with the club.

Windross, who wrote 'Citizens and Minstermen', a who's who of York City, believes the picture was taken in 1923.

The official on the back row was wrongly identified as club secretary Sherrington.

His daughter said it was definitely not him and she was unable to identify who it was.York City's Pontin's League trip to Bradford City scheduled for this Monday has been re-arranged to Thursday, May 6.

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