YORK City kept their first clean sheet since February with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at pre-season hosts Stalybridge Celtic.

The team’s shut-out – a first in 18 first-team fixtures – might have come against a team that will be plying their part-time trade a division below the Minstermen next term but, nevertheless, the Bower Fold contest was arguably a more one-sided contest than last weekend’s 6-0 home reverse against Premier League Middlesbrough and the only criticism that could have been levelled at Jackie McNamara’s side was the winning margin should have been wider.

Simon Heslop, Scott Fenwick and Reece Thompson got their names on the scoresheet, whilst Aidan Connolly was denied by the woodwork and Celtic keeper Tony McMillan pulled off fine saves late on to deny Charlie Wardle and Richard Brodie.

Former Hartlepool forward Fenwick should have also claimed a hat-trick in only his second appearance in City colours but, encouragingly, showed the nous to get into scoring positions.

At the back, meanwhile, Ben Clappison, who in appearance and style of play resembles a youthful Keith Lowe, slotted in comfortably alongside the combative Jack Higgins and Matt Fry as City contained their combative opponents throughout.

Connolly, meanwhile, produced a whirling dervish of a performance, with the uncompromising home side resorting to foul means to stop him in his tracks.

The Scottish winger also provided excellent ammunition from wide areas in open play and dead-ball situations.

Fenwick had the first chance of the game when he broke Stalybridge’s offside trap in the third minute but, after racing on to a Daniel Nti ball through the left channel, he lifted his shot over McMillan and wide.

Moments later, the diminutive Connolly’s header was pushed on to his crossbar by McMillan after a positive left-wing raid by Alex Whittle and, when the keeper dropped the resulting corner, Fenwick hooked wide of an unguarded net.

Heslop went on to open the scoring on 21 minutes, firing a fierce 20-yard effort past a helpless McMillan.

A Clovis Kamdjo through ball then sent Connolly sprinting through the right channel, but he brushed the sidenetting, before sending in a far-post cross that Fenwick could not divert on target at the far post.

Nti also called McMillan into action before the break.

Striker Andy Owens managed Stalybridge’s first shot of the game on 48 minutes, but it failed to trouble Scott Flinders, who also dealt well with the long throws and crosses launched into his six-yard box.

Just five minutes later, the Minstermen extended their lead when Heslop released Connolly down the right and his low centre took McMillan out of the equation and gave Fenwick a tap-in.

On the hour, Connolly blasted wide after Nti’s shot had been smothered following another right-wing raid – this time by Fenwick.

Either side of McMillan saving smartly from teenage midfielder Wardle and Brodie, Thompson made it 3-0 with a virtual carbon copy of the second goal as Kaine Felix burst down the right to leave his team-mate with another empty goal to find on 87 minutes.

City: Flinders; Clappison, Higgins (Robinson, 61), Fry (Wardle, 80); Rooney (Felix, 80), Kamdjo (Clarke, 61), Heslop (Walton, 80), Whittle (Galbraith, 61); Connolly (Klukowski, 61); Fenwick (Brodie, 61), Nti (Thompson, 61).