CLINICAL York City won 3-0 at Nuneaton to book their place in the last eight of the FA Trophy.

Amari Morgan-Smith, Vadaine Oliver and Sean Newton were all on target in the first 19 minutes to leave the Minstermen just two ties away from the May 21 final at Wembley.

Early on at Liberty Way, Newton made a strong block to deflect Tom Elliott’s 25-yard effort wide, before City forged ahead in the third minute.

A dangerous long throw by Exodus Geohaghon from the right was cleared on the far post by Alex Whittle and Oliver hoofed the ball further forward, luring Christian Dibble out of his box.

The home keeper then made a horrendous hash of his clearance, gifting the ball to Morgan-Smith who, having chased the lost cause, was rewarded with an empty goal to find from 15 yards. Within seconds, Oliver broke though the right channel but, after his shot was parried by Dibble and the ball spun backwards towards goal, Kelvin Langmead raced back to clear off the line.

During a frantic start, Kyle Letheren then made a fine fifth-minute, reflex save to keep out Joe Ironside’s firm header following Alex Penny’s raid down the right.

City had a two-goal cushion, though, on the quarter-hour mark when Morgan-Smith showed desire to win the ball on the halfway line and released Newton through the left channel.

His low cross was then turned in at the near post from four yards by a predatory Oliver.

Four minutes later, the visitors made it 3-0 when Dan Parslow won a second ball with his head from Simon Lappin’s left-wing corner and Newton fired low into Dibble’s bottom-left corner from 15 yards.

Morgan-Smith went on to send a looping header over from Lappin’s right-wing free kick.

At the other end, Greg Tempest’s free kick from the left was met in the air by Ironside, but Geohaghon mistimed his header and the ball bounced wide.

Jordan Nicholson also drove across the face of City’s goal after being released through the right channel by Greg Mills’ clever back heel.

In first-half stoppage time, good footwork by Ironside made the room for a shot into the sidenetting, while Letheren survived spilling a Langmead header and Tempest drilled out of the ground from 20 yards.

A quieter start to the second period saw Scott Fenwick stab wide from Lappin’s left-wing corner and Elliott hook an edge-of-the-box volley over for the hosts just before the hour.

On 74 minutes, meanwhile, Fenwick broke through the left channel but Dibble was out quick to smother his shot.

With the game petering out, David Morgan hit a hopeful attempt wide from 30 yards.

Good skill by Oliver then made space for a firm drive that was turned around his near post by Dibble and Newton went on to fire high into the sidenetting from a difficult angle.

The latter also curled a free kick over, while Whittle deflected an injury-time Morgan effort ovet to ensure a second successive clean sheet.

City: Kyle Letheren; Hamza Bencherif, Yan Klukowski, Dan Parslow; Simon Heslop, Simon Lappin, Sean Newton, Alex Whittle; Scott Fenwick; Vadaine Oliver (Shaun Rooney, 88) Amari Morgan-Smith (Adriano Moke, 90+1). Subs not used: Danny Holmes, Luke Simpson, Luke Woodland.

Nuneaton: Christian Dibble, Alex Penny, Kelvin Langmead, Exodus Geohaghon, Greg Tempest, James Clifton (Billy Daniels, 81), David Morgan, Tom Elliott, Jordan Nicholson (Conor Anderson, 67), Greg Mills, Joe Ironside. Subs not used: Reece Saye, Alhassan Bangura, Elliott Taylor.