MANAGER Nigel Worthington paid tribute to his players after steering York City to safety in npower League Two.

Worthington's side took 14 points from their last six games to pull clear of the drop zone, winning 1-0 at Dagenham & Redbridge on the last day of the season to climb to 17th in the final table.

The Minstermen were staring at relegation back to the Blue Square Bet Premier when they slipped into the bottom two late last month.

However, former Northern Ireland boss Worthington spearheaded an incredible recovery, with survival confirmed by skipper Chris Smith's 67th-minute goal against the Daggers at Victoria Park on Saturday.

"It is a great achievement for the players," said Worthington. "We knew what we had to do and I had belief in the players.

"It is all credit to them. They have done exactly what we asked them to do."

He added: "I didn't have a clue about the other results. I was focused on ourselves. One goal is never really enough, but we managed to do it."

Meanwhile, Sophie Hicks, the club's communications and community director, said: "It's been a great effort.

"Everyone has pulled together and I want to thank everyone who has supported us. It's been an emotional time, but we've got the right outcome.

"We were cheered on by 1,200 fans. It was like a home game. It was incredible."

She added: "Our thanks go to our manager, Nigel Worthington, who has kept us up in the Football League. He has made a huge difference."