JON Parkin’s late goal put the seal on York City’s second National League away win of the season.

The 35-year-old veteran pounced on 83 minutes to earn the Minstermen three precious points in their fight against the drop.

Excellent Simon Heslop and Vadaine Oliver strikes had earlier seen the visitors lead 2-0 by the quarter-hour mark.

But Macc midfielder Danny Whitaker reduced the deficit from the spot after a controversial penalty decision, meaning Parkin’s winner eased the nerves of City’s ecstatic fans behind the goal of former keeper Scott Flinders.

Gary Mills’ men forged ahead in sensational style on seven minutes when Amari Morgan-Smith and Parkin combined to tee up a chance for Heslop that he absolutely larruped into Flinders’ top-right corner from 20 yards.

Moments later, Adriano Moke’s unconvincing effort from further out bobbled well wide, but the visitors doubled their advantage on the quarter-hour mark.

Oliver chased after Loach’s long kick and gained his reward by getting the better of an unsettled home defence and lifting the ball over Flinders with the outside of his right boot from ten yards.

A shell-shocked Macc managed their first shot of the night from the restart, but Rhys Browne dragged off target from the edge of the box.

Morgan-Smith, meanwhile, was wayward after cutting in from the right and the visitors survived a 28th-minute scare when Luke Summerfield’s quickly-taken, free kick caught his old team napping through their left channel, but Anthony Dudley fired straight at Loach from 12 yards.

At the other end, Flinders did well to hold Oliver’s edge-of-the-box half-volley and Sean Newton’s low, swerving 35-yard attempt.

Loach also had to parry a powerful, long range drive from Mitch Hancox and then watched Danny Whitaker’s 15-yard half-volley flash inches past his top-right corner on the stroke of half-time.

After the break, Hamza Bencherif made a great block to divert away Dudley’s goalbound effort before Loach swiftly recovered from making a weak punch to push Summerfield’s thumping edge-of-the-box drive over his crossbar.

He then made a routine catch from George Pilkington’s volley, before Flinders dived to his right to keep out Morgan-Smith’s deflected shot after Oliver had climbed high to meet Moke’s right-wing cross.

Next, Parkin sidefooted wide from Newton’s left-wing free kick and, just before the hour mark, Flinders made an excellent double save.

Diving low to save Parkin’s 15-yard volley, he also denied Oliver on the follow-up before the ball ricocheted wide off ex-City defender John McCombe.

Macclesfield went on to reduce the deficit on 64 minutes when Dan Parslow was harshly adjudged to have deliberately handled Dudley’s header after Alex Whittle had allowed Whitaker to cross in from the right byline.

Whitaker sidefooted the subsequent spot kick down the middle, as Loach dived to his right.

In response, Parkin had a great chance to extend City’s lead again but volleyed across the face of goal when unchallenged. Whitaker, meanwhile, shot weakly at Loach from 12 yards and Dudley’s deflected edge-of-the-box attempt was safely collected by the ex-England under-21 international.

But Parkin settled the contest on 83 minutes, bundling in from a couple of yards after Bencherif had helped sub Sam Muggleton’s monstrous long throw to the near post from the left.

Loach was still required to keep out a Dudley effort, before making a fantastic flying save from McCombe and getting up swiftly to deny Hancox from the follow-up.

City

Scott Loach 9

Dan Parslow 9 

Hamza Bencherif 9

Sean Newton 8

Simon Heslop 9 

Asa Hall 8

Adriano Moke 8

Alex Whittle 8

Vadaine Oliver 9

Jon Parkin 8

Amari Morgan-Smith 8

Subs: Danny Holmes 8 (for Heslop, 46), Sam Muggleton 8 (for Oliver, 66).

Subs not used: Shaun Rooney, Aidan Connolly, Scott Fenwick.

Star man: Bencherif – tower of strength

Macclesfield: Scott Flinders, Andy Halls, George Pilkington, John McCombe, Mitch Hancox, Rhys Browne, Luke Summerfield (Jakc Mackreth, 70), Ollie Norburn, Danny Whitaker, Chris Holroyd, Anthony Dudley. Subs not used: Craig Ross, David Fitzpatrick, Neil Byrne, Kingsley James.

Referee: Martin Coy rating: 5/10

Booked: Newton 42, Whittle 65, Holmes 79, Hall 90+2

Attendance: 1,380 (320 from City)

Shots on target: Macclesfield 9, City 9

Shots off target: Macclesfield 3, City 3

Corners: Macclesfield 3, City 2

Fouls conceded: Macclesfield 9, City 14

Offside: Macclesfield 2, City 3