YORK City boss Gary Mills hailed a “magnificent” effort from his team as they bounced back from consecutive defeats to win 4-2 at Spennymoor.

A brace of Jon Parkin penalties and Louis Almond’s first City goal gave the visitors a 3-0 lead at the break, but Joseph Tait and Mark Anderson replied for the Moors, before sub Kaine Felix settled the outcome by finding an unguarded net from 40 yards in stoppage time.

The defeat was the first Spennymoor had suffered in 16 home matches and Mills said: “I’m delighted with the way we have responded to a couple of defeats. It was a little bit nail-biting in the second half, but they have been doing well and are a lively side with good movement.

“We dropped deeper than I’d have liked and couldn’t get out at times, but I thought the lads still worked superbly hard and were magnificent over the 90 minutes. I thought Jon was back to something like his best after his injury and that makes a big difference for us.

“Louis also deserved his goal and he took it well. Sometimes, people panic when they go through with only the keeper to beat, but he doesn’t.

“Then Kaine stuck in the last one with his left foot to take some pressure off us and I think we were all blowing it in. I’m pleased for him because he’s worked hard since coming back over the summer and it’s nice to be able to bring somebody with his pace on.

“He always wants to take people on and we’re just trying to teach him when to do that and when to pass the ball.”

Three spot kicks were awarded for handball in the match with Tait penalised twice for the home team before Dan Parslow was dubiously punished for the same alleged crime, with Mills arguing: “I didn’t think there’s should have been given.

“He was trying to even it out and everybody in the ground kept screaming for handball when it went in our box and he fell for that one.”

Theo Wharton, meanwhile, was given his City debut in midfield as Mills opted for the 3-4-3 formation he ended Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Chorley using.

On that choice, the City chief added: “Theo did well. He got his chance and took it.

“Hopefully, he can now kick on, although he was a bit silly when he kicked the ball away having already been booked. Luckily, the referee didn’t see it, but he’s got to cut stupid things out like that.

“I went 3-4-3, because I thought the last couple of games teams were getting down the side of us a bit, so we pushed our wing-backs on to their wide men.”

Elsewhere, former City keeper Kyle Letheren has signed for League One Plymouth.