City 2 Kettering 0

The notion that no judgements can be made about a season until ten games in may well be a cliche, and perhaps an easy way of buying time for managers who have assembled a squad ill-equipped for the demands of their league, but York City's first ten games have certainly shown that snap judgements about a team's prospects can easily be disproven at such an early stage. A Richard Brodie brace helped City to a 2-0 win over high-flying Kettering, the club's fourth win in five games and probably the most impressive of the campaign so far, and the Minstermen now look a side transformed from that which put in pedestrian, plodding performances at the likes of Wrexham and Hayes.

It is a measure of how confidence has rocketed in the club's ranks since the smash-and-grab win at Gateshead that City set out immediately to push forward and attack a Kettering side placed 2nd in the league heading into Saturday's encounter. This attacking intent almost paid dividends just seconds after kick-off, as Brodie blocked a clearance from Kettering centre-back Ian Roper, then collected the ball in the area and shot from a narrow angle on the left. His shot was kept out, though, by Poppies keeper Lee Harper, and Michael Gash was not quite sharp enough to get to the rebound. It would not be the last time Brodie tormented the rather rotund Roper.

A string of further chances were created by City in the first ten minutes, with Andy Ferrell playing a key role in all of them. Firstly, his lofted free-kick found its way to Gash at the far post, but the frontman failed to connect properly and headed wide. Then, after seeing his own shot from the edge of the box fly wide of the post, Ferrell sent in an inswinging corner which was met by the head of Djoumin Sangare. The defender's leap was impressive, and his header firm, but unfortunately it was directed over the bar. Nevertheless, Ferrell was already demonstrating once more that he has quickly become central to this City side in every sense other than his actual position on the field of play.

Another figure who has been crucial to the effectiveness of York's midfield in recent weeks is Alex Lawless, and on 13 minutes he carved out an opening for himself, advancing from midfield as the Kettering defenders backed off, and unleashing a low drive from 25 yards which bobbled wide. The balance of play started to shift after the opening 20 minutes, though, as Kettering began to stifle City's attacks. In particular, the enormous Exodus Geoghahan looked commanding at centre-back, dominating aerial battles with the City strikeforce and also providing the visitors' main attacking threat in the form of his incredibly long throws. The similarly biblically-named Moses Ashikodi also troubled the City back line on occasion with his pace, but Kettering failed to fashion any real opportunities on goal.

The next flashpoint came just after the half-hour mark, when Brodie - rushing to meet a chip into the box from Ferrell - showed that he has not entirely abandoned certain old habits by leading with his elbow while jumping with a defender. The challenge certainly merited a free-kick, and probably a booking, but did not demand the reaction from Roper, who raised his arms and pushed Brodie to the ground. While the crowd howled for a dismissal, the case against Roper was probably not aided by Brodie's ludicrous, exaggerated tumble, and the referee chose only to book both players. The two teams continued to cancel each other out from then on until the interval, with the only effort of note a Kettering free-kick which was blasted over.

A minute after the restart, Kettering created their best scoring opportunity so far, as Francis Green edged into the box from the left wing. However, Green, whose second-half switch from right flank to left probably resulted from his being nullified by Ferrell in the first period, watched his dipping strike whistle narrowly past Michael Ingham's post. City then pressed forward, and ten minutes into the half Gash's cross from the left was missed by Brodie but met by Ferrell, whose drive was deflected behind for a corner which Ferrell himself took. The ball was sent high towards the onrushing Sangare, who leapt high and headed goalwards, and Brodie was on hand to flick it past Harper and give City the lead. To outdo a side as physical and direct as Kettering as set pieces, as City did virtually all game, is no mean feat, and much of the credit for this must go to Sangare - his dominance in the air has provided a valuable outlet, and his assured, committed displays in the heart of City's defence are winning him many admirers.

Encouragingly, the Minstermen refused to rest on their laurels after going a goal up, and Adam Smith carved an opening on the hour mark after being released by Neil Barrett, but his shot was deflected over the bar. At the other end of the field, one of Geoghahan's long throws beat the City defence for the first and only time all match, as the outrushing Ingham misjudged the flight of the ball and allowed it to sail past him. Green, waiting on the edge of the six-yard box, managed to beat a crowd of City players to the ball, but could only spoon his attempt high.

Then, with twenty minutes remaining, City doubled their lead with an almost exact replica of the first goal. Again, Ferrell sent in a high corner from the right, and again it was met by the head of a York defender. This time, though, it was Daniel Parslow rather than Sangare who was first to the ball, but the near-symmetry was completed as Brodie nodded home from just two yards out. The striker's two goals were welcome not merely because they took his tally to seven for the season, but because they were rare poached strikes from a player who looks to be continuing to hone his craft. Soon after, a left-footed strike from the increasingly impressive Smith was inches away from giving City a third goal, but the winger's effort flew just past the left-hand angle of post and bar. Kettering came close to a consolation goal when substitute Danny Thomas's header clipped the crossbar, but City held on to grab three points which propelled them into the playoff positions.

Whether the side will become a permanent fixture in the upper echelons of the table remains to be seen, but the signs from the last three home games in particular are encouraging. City are controlling matches in midfield, and looking as threatening going forward as Billy McEwan's team - containing the likes of Donaldson and Woolford - did three seasons ago. In fact, the achilles heel of McEwan's playoff side was perhaps an inability to close out tough games at home, as they were best suited to a containing, counter-attacking style and so their best performances came away from home. It is probably no exaggeration to say that the current team, then, is providing home fans at Bootham Crescent with some of the most satisfying performances since the club dropped out of the football league. With three more tough home fixtures in succession to come, long may it continue.