JAMES Gray scored his first goal in York City colours, but could not prevent the reserves suffering a 3-1 defeat against Mansfield.

The City striker, who has failed to net for the first team since his arrival from Torquay in October, cancelled out a Johnny Hunt first-half effort for the hosts at Rainworth Miners Welfare.

But further efforts from George Taft and Lee Angol gave the hosts a flattering margin of victory and meant the Minstermen have now lost all of their six Central League fixtures this term. 

Mansfield selected a strong team, with the entire starting XI having tasted Sky Bet League Two action this season, including former City loan pair Bobby Olejnik and Taft.

The Minstermen, meanwhile, had eight players in their side with senior experience this season.

Josh Rogerson, Harry Thompson and Flynn McNaughton were the exceptions.

City had a great early chance when Amari Morgan-Smith volleyed across the face of goal after Connor Smith had won an aerial ball in the home box.

Gray also headed wide from a Sam Muggleton long throw, while Jimmy Spencer sliced wide at the other end after being picked out by Paul Digby's low right-wing cross.

For City, Josh Law then saw a free kick deflected wide off the home wall, while Gray's ambitious 30-yard attempt only required a routine save from Olejnik.

Luke Simpson was called into his first save of the afternoon on 22 minutes, diving low to his right to keep out a Spencer volley and Jack Thomas' curling shot drifted wide of the City keeper's top-right corner.

Former Scunthorpe keeper Olejnik was also untroubled by another Gray shot, while McNaughton did well to win the ball in his own half before exchanging passes with fellow youth-team scholar Thompson and firing narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

In response, Will Atkinson drilled a firm effort just over from distance, before the Stags forged in front on 39 minutes when ex-Wrexham midfielder Hunt rifled a 15-yard strike into the roof of Simpson's net.

Spencer went on to have two chances to double the lead going into the interval, but dragged the first wide from the edge of the box and also missed the target with a downward header from five yards.

After the interval, Thomas’ cross from the right bounced off the top of Simpson’s bar, but the visitors drew level on 50 minutes when an alert Gray stuck out a boot to divert Morgan-Smith’s low wayward shot past Olejnik.

Omari Sterling-James, meanwhile, shot woefully wide for the Stags after cutting in from the left flank and Spencer curled off target from the edge of the box.

City went on to waste two great chances with free headers in quick succession.

First, Morgan-Smith directed his five-yard opportunity straight at Olejnik after being picked out by Muggleton’s left-wing free kick that had been won by Gray.

The latter then sent in a cross from the right that McNaughton glanced wide.

Gray also saw a near-post attempt gathered by Olejnik, as City continued to impose themselves in Mansfield's final third.

For Mansfield, the disappointing Angol ballooned over at the other end when presented with an eight-yard half-volley but Taft made no mistake on 74 minutes when Daniel Rowe could not stop him from heading past Simpson inside the six-yard box following Hunt's free kick from the right.

Shortly afterwards, Simpson parried away a Sterling-James drive and also made a strong one-on-one save as Spencer charged clear on goal, but he was beaten again on 82 minutes when Angol belatedly found his range and blasted in from ten yards.

Simpson was also required to make a smart late save from Calum Butcher.

City: Simpson, Law, Rogerson, Rowe, Muggleton, Thompson, Wharton, Smith, Morgan-Smith (Haswell, 80), McNaughton, Gray (Berry, 80).