YORK City boss Gary Mills has declared that he would love to have a team of 11 Sean Newtons.

The Press Player of the Month for January kicked off February with a man-of-the-match display during the 3-0 FA Trophy victory at Nuneaton, setting up his side’s second goal for Vadaine Oliver before scoring the third.

Amari Morgan-Smith had earlier opened the scoring as City wrapped up matters in the first 19 minutes at Liberty Way and booked their place in the quarter-finals.

On another virtuoso display from Newton, who Mills made skipper at his previous club Wrexham, the City chief enthused: “Newts was unbelievable and incredible.

“He was helped by how organised his team-mates were behind him, but he’s full of energy and wants to score goals. He created one and scored one and he’s capable of doing that every week.

“He’s getting better and better and he’s a great lad to have in the dressing room. He’ll take some stick from the other lads for this but, if you have 11 Sean Newtons in your team, you will win things.

“It wasn’t just him though. I though Vadaine and Amari worked hard up front together and Scott Fenwick got his second wind during his first 90 minutes for a long time to keep going until right to the end.

“The back five also deserved another clean sheet and they knew the importance of that even when we were 3-0 up.”

Mills added that the display was further proof that his squad, without the suspended Jon Parkin, are capable of meeting his double target of National League survival and lifting the FA Trophy at Wembley on Sunday, May 21.

“We were good again and every game is different,” he reasoned. “We won the game against Barrow in the 94th minute and had this one won in the first 19 but, in both, we showed the work-rate, discipline and desire needed to get us to Wembley and up the league.”

Victory means the Minstermen, who have only lost one of their last nine matches, will now be in Trophy action on February 25 when they had been due to entertain Gateshead in the league.

But, with relegation rivals Maidstone next up at Bootham Crescent and a trip to Boreham Wood seven days later, Mills stressed the need to switch full focus on the league and the bid to move away from the foot of the table.

“The competition has helped us build momentum and confidence and has been massive for me,” Mills said of the Trophy’s value. “It’s helped us go on a bit of a run and the belief gets higher with each win.

“It’s not just me either. Maybe the fans are starting to believe again and I want them to come and get behind the players like they are doing.

“I’m pleased the fans are seeing their side winning away from home again and getting the reward for their support finally. The last home game we had they were very vocal and it’s because they have now got something to be vocal about.

“But we can’t get carried away or excited. We’ve got to put it to bed now and play some important league games.

“The hardest thing when you are winning is going and winning the next game sometimes.

“We know that we can get off the bottom now if we beat Maidstone and that’s the next target and inspiration. That’s got to happen and, if we do it next week, then great.”

Morgan-Smith struck after just three minutes following a blunder by home keeper Christian Dibble, but Mills felt the on-loan Cheltenham striker forced the error and argued: “I don’t think Amari’s goal was fortunate, because how many strikers would have charged that down or just let the keeper kick it up field?

“Not him and he got his rewards. He’s got three goals in four games now and I’m loving having him here.

“Darren (Caskey) told me how hard he works for the team. I didn’t really realise how much, but I do now.”

Attacker Aidan Connolly did not make the trip to Warwickshire due to a hamstring problem.

Matt Dixon, meanwhile, has been released from his Bootham Crescent contract and Hull striker Johan ter Horst has returned to his parent club for “personal reasons” without making an appearance since his loan arrival last month.