JACKIE McNamara’s first game in charge of York City ended in a 3-2 FA Cup defeat at Accrington Stanley.

Defensive sloppiness familiarly cost the Minstermen with Sean McConville, Matt Crooks and Josh Windass all gifted goals for the hosts, meaning Vadaine Oliver’s first-half equaliser and Michael Coulson’ stoppage-time header only served as a mere consolations.

An open first half saw Emile Sinclair’s edge-of-the box volley call former City keeper Jason Mooney into a sixth-minute save.

Bryn Morris’ header, meanwhile, lacked the power to trouble Mooney moments later following Marvin McCoy’s cross.

The hosts responded with a 30-yard Matty Pearson attempt that cleared Scott Flinders’ crossbar while Windass also aimed too high from distance.

In an end-to-end start, Eddie Nolan and Coulson had further 20-yard opportunities that missed the target, while Flinders reacted smartly to smother McConville’s shot after McCoy’s mistake had gifted the Accrington winger a free run on the visitors’ goal.

Either side of a couple more long-range Windass efforts, Oliver forced Mooney into a low save down to his right from the edge of the box and then headed over from close in following Coulson’s left-wing cross.

But it was Stanley who drew first blood on 29 minutes.

The ball was worked from right to left far too easily with Piero Mingoia and Windass combining to tee up a 12-yard chance that McConville curled in off Flinders’ left upright.

But the visitors were level within four minutes when City midfielder Morris beat fellow Middlesbrough loanee Brad Halliday to a ball down the Accrington right.

His low cross was then turned past Mooney from six yards by Oliver.

Two minutes later, though, Accrington had forged ahead again when Crooks carried the ball through the Minstermen’s right channel with ease and finished confidently into Flinders’ bottom-left corner from 12 yards.

The half also finished with Halliday going close from 30 yards with a well-struck effort.

City shot themselves in the foot again within two minutes of the restart when Femi Ilesanmi dallied and gave the ball away to Billy Kee in his own penalty box.

He then compounded that error by blatantly pushing the home striker over and conceding a penalty.

Windass went on to cheekily chip his spot kick down the middle of the goal as Flinders dived to his right.

The City keeper was then called into action at his near post after Dave Winfield – a half-time replacement for Keith Lowe – gave the ball away to Mingoia 12 yards from goal.

Sinclair dragged weakly wide from 15 yards at the other end, while Windass threatened twice more from the edge of the box before his firmly-struck free kick, conceded after Ilesanmi tripped Crooks, was instinctively parried away by Flinders.

After Sinclair saw another tame shot sail over on 59 minutes, he was replaced by Jake Hyde before Halliday went on a positive run for Stanley and fired just wide from distance.

Shortly afterwards, Hyde fired into the sidenetting from a tight angle, Coulson also had an edge-of-the-box attempt saved and Morris fired over from 25 yards.

After Crooks lofted a 20-yard shot out of the ground and Halliday fired wide from long range, Mooney then saved brilliantly from Oliver’s far-post header after Rhys Turner’s raid down the right.

But the 6ft 9in Irishman went on to misjudge Nolan’s inswinging cross from the left, allowing Coulson to head in at the far post in the second minute of stoppage time.

It proved too little, too late for McNamara’s new charges.