DEBUTANT Amari Morgan-Smith and skipper Simon Heslop were on target as York City progressed to the last 16 of the FA Trophy.

The Minstermen scored twice in three second-half minutes, which rendered Alex Read’s late reply for Essex part-time hosts Harlow a mere consolation during a 2-1 away win.

At the start of the game, City had several early opportunities without seriously extending home keeper David Hughes.

On six minutes, Adrian Moke spread play for Alex Whittle to cut in from the flank, but he curled tamely wide with his weaker right foot.

Moke’s rising effort from the edge of the box was then collected by Hughes after Yan Klukowski’s purposeful burst out of defence.

On-loan Cheltenham forward Morgan-Smith also saw a curling 25-yard attempt and header from Heslop’s right-wing cross safely gathered by the Harlow number one.

Next, Simon Lappin’s delivery from the same flank saw Whittle’s 12-yard volley float into the arms of Hughes and Daniel Nti fired too high from just outside the penalty area.

The Isthmian League hosts mustered their first chance on 31 minutes when Craig Pope’s 15-yard, goalbound half-volley was headed away from goal by Sean Newton and top-scorer Read then blazed over from close range following the resulting corner.

Back at the other end, returning favourite Dan Parslow got underneath a header from Lappin’s corner and cleared the bar.

The visitors’ best opening of the half, though, came on 40 minutes when Morgan-Smith headed wide from eight yards after being picked out all alone by Whittle.

Kyle Letheren went on to ensure his team got to the break on level terms, making a smart reflex save with his legs after Pope’s right-wing cross had been allowed to travel across the face of his goal and found Jared Small six yards out.

Following the break, a slow start to the second half saw Newton eventually test Hughes on the hour with a curling 25-yard free kick after Moke’s forward surge had been ended by a trip from Small, who was cautioned.

A Heslop header, meanwhile, only required a routine save, but the City skipper delivered the 76th-minute right-wing cross that saw Parslow rise highest to divert the ball back into the six-yard box, where a predatory Morgan-Smith prodded past Huges.

Heslop then got in on the act himself, pouncing from seven yards to find the roof of the net with the outside of his boot after the Hawks had failed to clear Whittle’s left-wing cross.

Right-wing back Shaun Rooney should have gone on to claim his second goal in as many games, but cleared the bar with a free header.

Letheren also saved well from a scramble in which the ball ricocheted towards him off Rooney, before he was beaten on 90 minutes when City failed to deal with a deep delivery from the right and Read bundled the ball in.

There was then a nervy moment to survive in the third minute of stoppage time when Letheren brilliantly tipped over Lawrence Yiga’s header from Billy Jones’ free kick, but the offside flag had been raised in any case.