YORK City secured their first win of the new National League North campaign with a professional 1-0 defeat of title-favourites Stockport County.

Wes York's 77th-minute goal settled matters against a County team that thumped FC United of Manchester 5-1 at the weekend and had won nine of their previous 13 matches.

And victory was well-deserved for the Minstermen, who recovered from the disappointment of seeing Jordan Burrow's first-half penalty saved to dominate the second period with a high-octane performance.

Earlier, Simon Heslop had been shown a yellow card with less than three minutes on the clock following his late, reckless challenge on Stockport’s Scott Duxbury, with both players having to subsequently being replaced before the quarter-hour mark.

The City midfielder exited the action holding his ribs.

Stockport attacker Darren Stephenson, meanwhile, had the first chance of the night but, after latching on to a hooked ball into the home box, his shot lacked the power to trouble City keeper Adam Bartlett.

Just moments later, the Minstermen squandered a great opportunity to forge in front when Jake Wright teased a trip out of Stockport skipper Paul Turnbull just inside the box and the hosts were awarded a penalty.

But Burrow’s spot kick was placed a little too predictably to Ben Hinchliffe’s left and the County keeper parried the ball away.

Hamza Bencherif went on to head wide from a York cross and Russ Penn’s long-range attempt drifted over.

The visitors, meanwhile, went close midway through the first period when Turnbull rattled Bartlett’s bar from the edge of the box after Frank Mulhern had pulled the ball back.

Turnbull also tried his luck with a 30-yard half-volley that bounced well wide, while Stephenson drilled over after charging at Penn and Kallum Griffiths down the left flank.

The final action of the half then saw Mulhern drive off target from 25 yards.

Roared on by the home crowd, City made an excellent start to the second half and were full of purpose.

Less than two minutes in, Adriano Moke fired just over from 20 yards and, after a good passing move, Burrow headed wide from a Griffiths cross.

York then fed Wright through the right channel and his low drive forced a near-post save from Hinchliffe.

Some respite for Stockport was provided when Jordan Keane's looping header from Sam Minihan's corner was tipped over by Bartlett, but City were soon back on the offensive with York's 25-yard effort grabbed by Hinchliffe.

At the other end, Mulhern booted a woeful effort into Grosvenor Road from 20 yards out and sub Nyal Bell scuffed a shot that was gathered by Bartlett after Alex Kempster lost possession in his own half.

City chief Martin Gray made a double substitution soon afterwards, introducing strikers Jon Parkin and Macaulay Langstaff from the bench and both made their presence felt immediately.

First, Parkin's downward header from a Sean Newton cross was gathered by Hinchliffe and, shortly afterwards, a quick raid down the left saw Langstaff send in a low centre across the six-yard box for York to give City the lead with a simple tap-in.

York went on to return the favour with a brilliant lung-busting charge with the ball on the counter attack from deep inside his own half, eventually teeing up Langstaff, whose sidefooted attempt was pushed behind by Hinchliffe.

Parkin was extremely unlucky, meanwhile, not to double the advantage on 89 minutes, but his sidefooted shot, after another pass by York, bounced back into play off a beaten Hinchliffe's left-hand upright.

Stoppage-time efforts for Mulhern then saw the former Guiseley striker's header caught by Bartlett and a 20-yard drive clear the bar before City fans could celebrate the first three points of the campaign.

City ratings

Adam Bartlett 7

Kallum Griffiths 7

Hamza Bencherif 8

Joe Tait 8

Sean Newton 7

Wes York 8

Russ Penn 8

Simon Heslop

Alex Kempster 7

Jordan Burrow 6

Jake Wright 7

Substitutes: Adriano Moke 7 (for Heslop, 8), Jon Parkin 7 (for Burrow, 68), Macaulay Langstaff 8 (for Wright, 68).

Subs not used: David Ferguson, Ryan Whitley.

Star man: York - led the second-half charge with boundless energy

Stockport: Ben Hinchliffe, Dan Cowan, Ash Palmer, Chris Smalley, Scott Duxbury (Callum Mantack, 15), Jordan Keane, Paul Turnbull, Sam Minihan, Matty Warburton (Connor Dimaio, 70), Darren Stephenson (Nyal Bell, 59), Frank Mulhern. Subs: Jordan Downing, Ian Ormson.

Referee: Samuel Barrott: 6/10

Booked: Heslop 3, Palmer 17, Minihan 32, Newton 39, Wright 62, Kempster 90

Sent off: None

Attendance: 3,218 (456 from Stockport)

Shots on target: City 6, Stockport 5

Shots off target: City 6, Stockport 4

Corners: City 5, Stockport 6

Fouls conceded: City 13, Stockport 11

Offside: City 1, Stockport 0