1 Louis Almond’s quality deliveries can be a prime source of goals for Jon Parkin

Following his December arrival, a return of 16 goals during the second half of the season, when City were plying their trade a division higher, proved Parkin has lost very little of the potency that meant his first at Salford was the 200th of his long career. At 35, though, it is also clear that the big targetman relies on reliable service into the box if he is to carry on hitting the target.

In Almond, he looks to have the perfect foil. The former Blackpool and Tranmere attacker has already teed up two of Parkin’s three goals from open play during 2017/18, with the other – City’s second at Salford - inadvertently ending up in the home net following a mishit Amari Morgan-Smith shot.

The manner in which Parkin opened the scoring, though, was particularly pleasing, as he barely broke stride to sweep in Almond’s perfect right-wing cross first time from seven yards. Just four days earlier, Almond had similarly picked out Parkin twice to set up great opportunities against Gainsborough.

Both chances went begging then but, as Gary Mills rightly predicted after that match, if such openings were created again at Moor Lane, the City manager believed they would end up in the back of the net. Almond’s assist was his seventh of the season and, even though he was given a more central role in Lancashire, he still had the freedom to roam on to the flanks where his balls into the box are such a threat. With just one goal in Minstermen colours, he has certainly had more success so far picking people out than he has beating opposition keepers from distance and he could also be a useful option from set-pieces, which have largely been the preserve of the likes of Morgan-Smith, Sean Newton and Josh Law this season.

York Press:

2 Salford are not to be feared

Mills has long been an advocate of winning cup games to build confidence in the league and the manner in which his team secured victory at Salford should provide optimism for the months ahead. The Lancashire side, backed by former Manchester United aces Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt, had begun to build up an aura of invincibility in certain circles, seemingly justifying their pre-season title favourites’ billing with a ten-match unbeaten run that included victory on top-of-the-table Harrogate Town’s 3G pitch.

But, even allowing for the resting from the starting XI of key players such as top-scorer Jack Redshaw, a glance at the respective sides on the team sheets suggested no discernible difference in quality. In fact, given the choice, it is doubtful that Mills would swap many in his ranks with those on the roster of Saturday’s hosts.

In coming weeks, the Minstermen must now demonstrate that they are stronger than the sum of all their parts.

York Press:

3 Gary Mills continues to revel in the underdog role

Despite City being more than a match for the opposition in terms of player quality and, obviously, greater in status as a club, the visitors were, nevertheless, second favourites to progress in the second qualifying round tie. That was an unusual position for the Minstermen to find themselves in at the earliest point they had ever entered the FA Cup and one that is unlikely to be repeated too many times during this season of sixth-tier football.

It is, though, a situation in which Mills thrives, which has been highlighted on several occasions during his two stints as City chief. Last term he masterminded a two-legged FA Trophy semi-final victory over National League champions elect Lincoln who, fresh from a run to the FA Cup semi-finals, were desperate to get to Wembley for the first time in their history.

Similarly, Mansfield and Luton were put to the sword during the 2011/12 play-off winning campaign when the odds were in favour of the opposition prevailing. With three Wembley wins also on his City CV, Mills has a happy knack of succeeding in big one-off contests. Nobody at the club should be looking for the safety net of the play-offs this season but, if the campaign’s chief objective has to be decided in a six-club shoot-out, few would back against Mills in that scenario.

York Press: 4 The FA Cup can still be magical

City’s run of six seasons and 11 ties without a win in the competition comfortably represented the worst sequences in the club’s history, prior to victory at Salford. While league success must clearly be the priority this term, the manner in which this victory was celebrated by fans and players alike suggested that the romance of the world-famous tournament remains alive in North Yorkshire and a string of victories in the Cup would herald some welcome financial rewards, as well as positive exposure for the club.

Mills has proven in the past he can balance knockout progress with league commitments – even last season’s relegation was suffered despite top-ten form as the Minstermen made their way to a Wembley FA Trophy final victory over Macclesfield. Going out of the Cup before summer is officially over would have been a depressing experience for long-suffering City fans who are still coming to terms with life in the regional realms of the game. Meeting Mills’ intended target of a third-round clash would also reward them for their continued loyalty.

York Press: IN FOR KEEPS: Jon Worsnop has signed for York City, while fellow keepers Kyle Letheren and Luke Simpson will be moving on. Picture: Ian Parker5 Jon Worsnop is making his presence felt in league and cup

Few teams want their goalkeeper to be overworked but the ex-Chester keeper’s performances between the sticks in September have marked him out as the month’s standout performer for City. Having been one of the few players to come out of the Chorley defeat with credit, Worsnop made a string of fine saves against Spennymoor to safeguard a 4-2 victory and, again, proved himself a strong last line of defence to thwart Gainsborough twice before last week’s 1-1 draw.

Against Salford, he also demonstrated smart reflexes at two key stages of the afternoon to deny Mike Phenix just after Parkin had levelled and Lois Maynard in the second minute of stoppage time. With 11 different keepers having donned the gloves during the last four seasons, it is to be hoped City can now find some stability in such a key position.