HUMILIATED York City crashed to a dreadful 6-1 defeat at Gateshead.

The Minstermen’s unbeaten start to the season was dimantled in devastating fashion as Bootham Crescent old boys Ryan Bowman (two) and Jamal Fyfield got their names on the scoresheet.

Danny Johnson, Toby Ajala and Sam Jones also got in on the act as the hosts cut through City’s back three at will.

Striker Richard Brodie had earlier cancelled out Bowman’s opener for the Heed with a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

It was Brodie’s 100th goal in Conference football, but that will be no consolation on an awful evening in his home town.

Gateshead spurned a glorious opportunity to open the scoring after just 58 seconds when Wes York curled wide from 15 yards with only Scott Flinders to beat after being played through by Danny Johnson.

Brodie was then denied when Sam Johnson pushed his low shot around a post after Daniel Nti had won possession for the visitors.

Skipper Simon Heslop – perhaps encouraged by his volleyed goal at the weekend – went on to try his luck with a 40-yard free kick that sailed over the International Athletics Stadium crossbar like a javelin.

It was the Heed, though, who forged in front on 17 minutes when former City midfielder Paddy McLaughlin released Johnson through the left channel.

The ex-Bootham Crescent trialist subsequently rounded Flinders - who collided into team-mate Jack Higgins – before crossing to the far post, where Bowman beat Matt Fry to the ball to bundle in from a matter of inches.

Moments later, Bowman flashed a 20-yard, half-volley wide, while Brodie headed off target from a Heslop free kick.

On the half-hour mark, Bowman’s header from a McLaughlin centre was caught by Flinders, but City levelled in controversial circumstances seconds before the interval when one-time City defender Fyfield was adjudged to have tugged Kaine Felix in an extremely innocuous incident.

Brodie, though, ignored the vehement protests from home fans and fired firmly to Johnson’s right before bizarrely being cautioned for his exuberant celebrations with City supporters. But City were behind again just two minutes into the restart when Johnson sprinted through the right channel and held off Ben Clappison too easily before lashing a ten-yard shot past Flinders.

Johnson also drove narrowly wide from 15 yards after brushing past Josh Robinson before Bowman made it 3-1 on 56 minutes when he raced on to James Bolton’s header trough the right channel and shot across Flinders into the bottom corner from ten yards.

Gateshead continued to threaten with Gus Mafuta’s 30-yard drive whistling narrowly over and substitute Ajala got in on the act in the 74th minute with his first kick of the match.

He was again played through City’s left channel and fired low across Flinders and on off the post.

The Minstermen’s misery was complete when Flinders dropped a McLauglin corner to leave Fyfield with a tap-in on 80 minutes and sub Jones also n

City

Scott Flinders: 3

Josh Robinson: 3

Jack Higgins: 4

Matt Fry: 4

Shaun Rooney: 3

Simon Heslop: 3

Clovis Kamdjo: 4

Alex Whittle: 3

Kaine Felix: 3

Richard Brodie: 4

Daniel Nti: 3

Substitutes: Ben Clappison (for Fry, 28), Matty Dixon (for Kamdjo, 46), Jake Wright (for Rooney, 73).

Subs not used: Luke Simpson, Yan Klukowski.

Man of the match: Brodie – showed passion on a dismal night   

Gateshead

Sam Johnson, James Bolton, Liam Hogan, Manny Smith, Jamal Fyfield, George Smith, Gus Mafuta, Paddy McLaughlin, Wes York (Sam Jones, 80), Ryan Bowman, Danny Johnson (Toby Ajala 69). Subs not used: Dan Hanford, Anthony Sweeney, Reece Styche.

Referee: Joe Johnson rating: 5/10

Booked: Mafuta 40, Brodie 45+2, Rooney 59.

Attendance: 1,331 (476 from City)

Shots on target: Gateshead 10, City 1

Shots off target: Gateshead 4, City 2

Corners: Gateshead 1, City 2

Fouls conceded: Gateshead 13, City 14

Offside: Gateshead 3, York 3