YORK City kicked off life in National League North with a frustrating 1-0 home defeat to Telford.

Ex-Kidderminster and Luton striker Matthew Barnes-Homer scored the only goal of the contest on the stroke of half-time and City struggled to find an avenue back into the game after the break.

Away keeper Jas Singh was, though, called upon to make good saves from Hamza Bencherif, Amari Morgan-Smith and Josh Law over the course of the 90 minutes.

The opening exchanges had been even as both sides sized each other up with Jon Parkin’s low tenth-minute free kick, unconvincingly gathered at the second attempt by Singh, the first opportunity of the afternoon.

City then settled into their stride with Law’s ambitious 35-yard drive drifting wide.

Parkin went on to head against the crossbar from Sean Newton’s inviting right-wing free kick and Bencherif’s eight-yard shot was well saved by Singh before the Frenchman’s follow-up effort was blocked.

Moments later, Parkin’s header from Morgan-Smith’s right-wing centre lacked the power and direction to beat Singh.

The visiting keeper then brilliantly clawed away Morgan-Smith’s header from under his own crossbar after Bencherif had rose high to meet Dan Parslow’s free kick into the box.

Telford’s first chance of the game came just after the half-hour mark when Will Marsh flashed an effort across the face of goal from 12 yards after Adriano Moke had been beaten in the air.

At the other end, a deflection took the sting out of Morgan-Smith’s strike after a Parkin headed knock-down, but it was the Shropshire side that went ahead on 44 minutes with their first on-target attempt of the afternoon.

A spell of patient passing led to a low John Marsden cross from the right that Bencherif failed to cut out and a sliding Barnes-Homer showed most determination in the City six-yard box to break the deadlock.

After the break, Marsden lifted over from 20 yards at the end of a positive diagonal run, while Parkin’s back-header was scrambled away by Singh after Louis Almond’s left-wing cross had been sliced into the air by Jordan Gough.

Parslow also headed well over from a Morgan-Smith flag kick just past the hour, but the hosts then narrowly avoided falling further behind when Marsden’s curling 25-yard free kick, conceded bv Bencerhif, hit a beaten Jon Worsnop’s right-hand post and Elliot Newby fired over from the rebound.

Bucks sub Kieran Dunbar also shot too high from 15 yards after an error by Minstermen replacement Sam Muggleton.

A series of Muggleton long throws were then capably dealt with by the resolute visitors defence but Law's free kick was brilliantly tipped over by Singh on 90 minutes.

The Bucks net-minder was also equal to a Muggleton attempt in stoppahe time as he guaranteed his well-earned clean sheet.