YORK City allowed Torquay to coast into a two-goal lead on the English Riviera and could not turn the tide before racking up a 27th away game without a win.

Home striker Nathan Blissett profited from another sluggish start on the road by City to claim his first goals of the season inside the first half hour.

In response, Richard Brodie and Matty Dixon both hit the frame of Brendan Moore’s goal and the American net-minder also made a smart stop to deny Matt Fry.

But the ruthless streak that had put Woking and Solihull Moors to the sword in the last two Bootham Crescent encounters was missing from the visitors’ play against a Torquay team, whose confident start to the match belied their position below Jackie McNamara’s men in the pre-match National League standings.

Jamie Reid’s trickery and the quality of Luke Young’s deliveries into the box were key factors during the Gulls’ dominance of the opening exchanges, but City were not helped by certain individuals being virtual bystanders as the hosts seized the initiative and swept into an ultimately unassailable lead.

City struggled to match Torquay’s early energy and purpose and the warning signs were immediate as possession was lost soon after kick off and skipper Simon Heslop dangled out a leg to concede a second-minute free kick that Young curled over.

Kyle Letheren then dived low to his left to push Reid’s firm 15-yard strike behind for the eighth-minute corner that would lead to the opening goal.

Electing to punch Young’s right-wing corner when he looked to have the space to catch his delivery, Sparkes picked up the loose ball 25 yards from goal and fed it back to the flag-kick taker.

This time, the home midfielder’s cross was pinpoint for Blissett, who rose to plant a powerful header past Letheren from seven yards.

Moments later, Sean McGinty had escaped the attentions of Shaun Rooney to meet another inswinging centre from Young – this time from a free kick – but the centre back volleyed wide with only Letheren to beat.

City mustered their first threat on the counter attack at the quarter-hour mark when Aidan Connolly charged down the middle of the pitch before finding Brodie on the right wing.

The visitors’ leading marksman went on to cut inside and unleash a typical, left-footed howitzer that deserved to see him move to within one game of a club record by scoring for a sixth successive match.

Instead his spectacular shot rattled a helpless Moore’s right-hand post and, although Connolly netted from the rebound, he was flagged offside. Heslop also sliced well wide from 35 yards and Connolly’s downward header from a Brodie right-wing cross failed to trouble Moore, before City fell further behind on 29 minutes.

A right-wing cross by Courtney Richards saw Sparkes get the better of Rooney at the far post and Blissett volleyed emphatically into the roof of Letheren’s net from seven yards.

Heslop, meanwhile, ended the half with a 15-yard angled drive that flashed wide.

After the restart, Torquay were on top with Sparkes racing clear having lifted the ball over Fry but his rising attempt was grabbed by Letheren after briefly threatening to slip through the Welshman’s fingers.

Joe Ward was denied too, as his ten-yard strike deflected wide after striking the head of a floored Jack Higgins.

The same player also forced Letheren into a fingertip save following his 25-yard drive, before the visitors, lifted by sub Kaine Felix’s right-wing spirit, had the better of the game’s final quarter without mustering the reply that might have heralded a grandstand finish.

On 68 minutes, Scott Fenwick lofted a 20-yard effort out of the stadium, while Felix called Moore into action at his near post.

From the resulting Dixon corner, the Gulls’ number one made a point-blank save to push away Fry’s header, while Felix’s persistence down the flank led to a two-on-one situation that he subsequently wasted when his 83rd-minute cross was too high for the unmarked Fenwick.

Shortly afterwards, Brodie spun on a left-wing centre from Felix but volleyed too high and, after Higgins had won a header in the home box, Dixon thudded a final ten-yard opportunity against the crossbar with his hesitancy resulting in a less favourable shooting angle.

Following back-to-back home games, the Minstermen will now look to end their away hoodoo at the most unlikeliest of venues with a trip to Barrow’s Holker Street, where they have failed to win in six visits since 1971.

City

Kyle Letheren: 6 – made two fine saves, but had chance to catch when his punch led to first goal

Shaun Rooney: 5 – caught napping on occasions and should have done better for second goal

Jack Higgins: 5 – met his aerial match in Blissett, who he couldn’t stop getting on scoresheet

Matt Fry: 5 – struggled to get any power in his headers and denied goal by Moore save

Alex Whittle: 5 – not same attacking force he was last weekend and failed to stem early home raids down right

Matt Dixon: 5 – too peripheral for long periods and delayed his late shot before hitting bar

Simon Heslop: 5 – tried to stop the early onslaught but influence waned in second half

Yan Klukowski: 5 – not involved enough prior to exiting the action early in second half

Aidan Connolly: 6 – his link-up play with Brodie offered only first-half outlet before injury

Scott Fenwick: 5 – hardly managed a touch as team went 2-0 down and struggled to pressurise hosts

Richard Brodie: 6 – unlucky with trademark shot that hit post, but tired visibly and picked up daft caution

Substitutes: STAR MAN Kaine Felix 7 – positive (for Connolly, 46), Tyler Walton 6 – tidy (for Klukowski, 54), Justin Johnson (for Fenwick, 83).

Subs not used: Luke Simpson, Ben Clappison.

Torquay

Brendan Moore, Aman Verma, Giancarlo Gallifuoco, Sean McGinty, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Courtney Richards, Luke Young, Joe Ward (Sam Chaney, 65), Dan Sparkes (Chay Scrivens, 79), Nathan Blissett, Jamie Reid (Brett Williams, 62). Subs not used: Ben Gerring, Jamie Robba .

Torquay star man: Blissett – gave Lethern no chance with clinical finishes

Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis rating: 6/10 – a little whistle happy

Booked: Richards 90+3, Brodie after final whistle.

Attendance: 1,989

Shots on target: Torquay 5, City 5

Shots off target: Torquay 4, City 5

Corners: Torquay 8, City 3

Fouls conceded: Torquay 15, City 8

Offside: Torquay 0, City 6