MACAULAY Langstaff’s first goal for York City only proved a consolation during a 2-1 home defeat to Alfreton Town.

The City sub struck midway through the second period, but the visitors had earlier seized the initiative with two goals in as many minutes from Tom Denton and Curtis Bateson before the quarter-hour mark.

Martin Gray’s men might have been either further behind before Langstaff’s riposte, with Richard Peniket seeing his dreadful penalty comfortable saved by Adam Bartlett.

Earlier, the hosts were forced into a change just five minutes in when Alex Kempster limped out of the action following a tackle by James Clifton and David Ferguson was hailed from the bench for his first action of the season.

The Minstermen were then delivered two blows in quick succession as they conceded goals in the 13th and 14th minutes.

First, Jordan Burrow failed to retain possession just inside his own half and, after conceding a free kick, the hosts could not stop Denton from climbing highest in the box to head Clifton’s right-wing delivery past Bartlett.

Just moments after the restart, City were then caught one-on-one on the counter attack, with a long ball out of defence leaving Bateson with a chase for the ball against Kallum Griffiths.

The Alfreton winger then appeared to push Griffiths to the floor, but no foul was given, and Bateson went on to calmly round an onrushing Bartlett before rolling the ball into the net.

With City shell-shocked, a Bateson 20-yard attempt was deflected wide after Adriano Moke had been outmuscled just outside the penalty box.

Bateson went on to send in a low right-wing cross that saw Peniket steal in front of Hamza Bencherif far too easily, only for Barrtlett to react quickly to smother the away striker’s shot. Continuing to threaten, Bateson fired over after receiving the ball from a short corner and sidestepping Sean Newton’s challenge.

The Minstermen’s only goal attempts of the half, meanwhile, came from corners, with Bencherif and Burrow both heading too high from Newton and Griffiths’ respective flag kicks.

After Bateson had found far too much space in the home box but had the sting taken out of his eventual shot by Joe Tait, Burrow then met another Newton corner at the near post but could only guide his shot across the face of Alfreton’s goal. On the hour, City might have fell further behind after a clumsy challenge by Newton on Bateson resulted in a penalty.

But Peniket’s awful spot kick was weakly struck down the centre and easily saved by Bartlett.

At the other end, Bencherif again headed over from another Griffiths corner, before City reduced the deficit on 68 minutes.

A long ball forward was expertly headed on by Jon Parkin and fellow sub Langstaff smartly collected the knock down before confidently finding Sam Ramsbottom’s bottom-right corner from 15 yards.

Five minutes later, Tait drove an ambitious 30-yard effort well wide after being urged to shoot by the David Longhurst Stand faithful.

Tait went on to have an easier chance shortly afterwards, having been picked out for a free header eight yards out from Russ Penn’s cross, but he contrived to hit the roof of the Longhurst.

City continued to press with Wes York racing on to long pass from Tait and, when his low cross found Parkin, the former Championship campaigner’s goal-bound effort was only diverted behind by Clifton's block On 86 minutes, Parkin could not direct his far-post header from Griffiths’ corner on target.

In stoppage time, Tait also steered another header well off target from Penn’s ball into the box, but City could not avoid their second defeat of the campaign.