Gainsborough 0, York City 4

But the old market town's football ground provided no setting for FA Cup romance on Saturday as York City enjoyed the fourth qualifying round's highest margin of victory at Northolme.

The Minstermen's 2-0 half-time lead was flattering but the 4-0 final scoreline should have been greater as the visitors imposed their superior quality and stamina on their Conference North hosts during a one-sided second period.

Part-timers Gainsborough struggled to cope with Clayton Donaldson's skill and pace throughout the match and it was the 21-year-old striker who won an early penalty to give the visitors a perfect start.

Harrassed right-back Wes Parker made a hash of his attempted clearance and then tripped Donaldson with referee Martin Short having no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Andy Bishop converted in his customary confident manner, sidefooting to home goalkeeper Jamie Holmshaw's left as City took a 13th-minute lead.

Gainsborough, though, fought back gamely as City, missing the presence of midfield anchor man Emmanuel Panther, struggled to implement their short, quick passing game.

Towering centre-back Richard Pell proved an aerial menace at set-pieces for the home team and went close with three headers before the break but Charlie Trout missed an excellent opportunity to become a big fish in Gainsborough's small pond on 32 minutes.

Trout raced clear through on goal only to drag his shot wide from six yards after Chris Porter had charged out quickly to narrow his angles.

Veteran former Chesterfield and Scarborough striker David Reeves then headed straight at Porter from a similar distance on 42 minutes before Billy McEwan's men scored a scarcely deserved second goal.

City had only managed one more goal attempt since scoring their penalty - a 20-yard Donaldson effort that curled over the bar - but Bishop doubled his personal tally for the afternoon when he headed in at the far post after Nathan Peat's excellent cross from the left.

Coming just one minute before half-time, the goal was a deflating psychological blow for Gainsborough who, until then, had looked capable of an equaliser but trailing 2-0 gave the cup tie a very different complexion.

A tiring Gainsborough were unlikely to play as well as they had in the first half and a more-relaxed City team could play with greater expression in the second half having secured a two-goal cushion.

And so it proved. Donaldson netted his ninth goal of the season in typical fashion when he sprinted on to Mark Convery's through ball on 62 minutes and shrugged off burly defender Nick Ellis' attempt to shove him off balance before rounding Holmshaw and firing into the unguarded net.

City then overwhelmed the home side but missed a succession of chances.

Convery stung Holmshaw's hands with a powerful long-range effort, Joe O'Neill scooped the ball over the bar from six yards and substitute Ryan Mallon fired straight at the home 'keeper when he found himself unmarked in front of goal.

James Dudgeon then missed the target with a header from five yards and Convery shot wide before belatedly getting on the scorsheet four minutes from time.

The former Darlington midfielder sidefooted into the bottom corner from 12 yards after substitute Bryan Stewart had drove past Parker on the left and delivered a precise low cross.

Bishop and Donaldson both went on to miss stoppage-time opportunities to extend their 18-goal partnership this season and Gainsborough will have been relieved to have heard Mr Short's full-time whistle.

Gainsborough 0, York City 4 (Bishop 13 (pen), 44, Donaldson 62, Convery 86)

York City: Porter 7, Price 7, Dudgeon 7, McGurk 7, Peat 7 (Merris 67, 7), Convery 7, Yalcin 7 (Stewart 76), Dunning 7, O'Neill 7 (Mallon 76), Bishop 7, Donaldson 8

Subs (not used): Stockdale, Webster.

Star man: Donaldson - terrified Gainsborough

with his pace

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Gainsborough Trinity: Jamie Holmshaw, Wes Parker, Richard Pell, Nick Ellis, Adam Burley, Charlie Trout (Danny Wood, 76), Alex Higgins, Liam Needham, Matthew Caudwell, David Reeves (Jon Rowan, 76), Stanley Udenkwor (Jamie Sherlock, 66). Subs not used: Danny Steadman, Jamie Smith.

Yellow cards: Reeves 58, Sherlock 88.

Referee: Martin Short (Barnsley).

Rating: got most things right.

Attendance: 1,680.

Weather watch: Mild and dry.

Game breaker: City's second goal on the stroke of half-time was a massive blow to Gainsborough who had matched their professional visitors for the first period. At 1-0 the part-timers had a chance, at 2-0 the game was beyond them.

Match rating: Well-contested cup tie in the first half. One-way traffic in the second as City's superior quality and stamina told.

McEwan's verdict: "They caused us one or two problems and could have had a couple of goals but we were pleased that we played some excellent football in the second half and scored some superb goals and we should have got a couple more."

Player watch:

Lev Yalcin

Shots on target: 0

Shots off target: 0

Blocked shots: 0

Passes to own player: 21

Passes to opposition: 3

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 3

Pass success rate: 77.8 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 2

Dribbles ball lost: 2

Dribble success rate: 50 per cent

Headers: 8 Tackles: 2

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 5

Free-kicks won: 0

Free-kicks conceded: 0

Offside: 0 Bookings: 0

Final summary: Lev Yalcin was handed a big responsibility deputising for Emmanuel Panther in the City midfield. His range and accuracy of passing was good but he failed to make a single tackle in the first half when Gainsborough threatened to take control in the middle of the park. Still possesses quality but probably needs to be a little more active and involved if he is to challenge permanently for Panther's place.

Updated: 15:14 Thursday, October 27, 2005