James Hanson proved that practice makes perfect to get City back on the play-off track.

Hanson reached ten for the season with his second goal in successive games in a 2-0 win at York on Saturday.

The big targetman, who has been criticised for his scoring ratio, revealed that an extra session on the training ground had paid off handsomely.

Hanson said: “I was working with the gaffer on Friday getting my headers right. The York keeper threw it in a bit but at least I’m hitting the target, which I haven’t been doing recently.

"I’ve been waiting a while for goals even though I’ve been getting the chances. It’s amazing that when you get one goal, how lucky you suddenly become and that’s what happened.

“I’m in double figures now with 13 games left and hopefully can get another five or six. But it’s more important that we kick on as a team and push towards that play-off.”

After drawing with Dagenham, the win over struggling York – who sacked boss Gary Mills after the game – keeps City in contention ahead of tomorrow’s trip to second-placed Port Vale.

Hanson added: “It was a shame we couldn’t get the win on Wednesday but four points over the two games isn’t bad. If we can continue that ratio over the next 13 games we’ll be there or thereabouts.

“It was a typical Yorkshire derby and they shaded it a bit first half. But the experienced lads were saying at half-time that something would happen for us and it did.

“My goal seemed to happen in slow motion. I thought the keeper was already there but he must have let it slip through his legs.

“We had tremendous support again, especially after last weekend when the fans spent all their money to go to Wembley. I’m just glad the boys dug in and got the win for them.”

Boss Phil Parkinson believes City can head to Vale Park in confident mood after another strong away performance He said: “Look at the last four away performances and we’ve done well on our travels.

“We went to Fleetwood and should have won the game but got a penalty given against us that never was. Then we beat Wycombe playing some of our best football of the season. We lost 2-1 at Wimbledon which I’m still shell-shocked about but then got this win.”

Meanwhile, Blair Turgott and Curtis Good have both returned to their Premier League parent clubs at the end of their loans.

Parkinson added: “We’re getting our own group of contracted players back now.”

James Meredith stepped up his recovery with a fitness session on the pitch before Saturday’s game.