YORK City cruised to a 5-0 FA Cup second qualifying round home victory over North West Counties League minnows Ashton Athletic.

David Ferguson, Jordan Burrow, Joe Tait and debutant Alex Harris all got on the scoresheet in the first half before sub Wes York… City went ahead in the second minute from the first attack of the match when Ferguson tapped in at the far post from Burrow’s left-wing cross after Macaulay Langstaff’s ball through the channel.

Langstaff went on to see his shot deflected away from goal following a Ferguson cross and Josh Law drove wide from 25 yards.

A curling, edge-of-the-box effort from Langstaff was also safely gathered by Yellows keeper Martin Pearson and, moments later, the City forward’s overhit pass was well retrieved by Kallum Griffiths, but a stretching Ferguson could not turn in his right-wing low cross to the far post.

Either side of an off-target Simon Heslop volley, Burrow had two chances saved by Pearson, before doubling the advantage on the quarter-hour mark with his first City goal.

The former Gateshead striker tapped in after Pearson could only push out Heslop’s sidefooted shot from ten yards out.

Sean Newton should have probably added a third when he steered an eight-yard half-volley over following Langstaff’s cross from the right, while Luke Holden headed wide from the visitors’ first chance of the afternoon on 20 minutes from a Matty Reid free kick, which was the first conceded by the hosts.

After Langstaff shot well off target from 20 yards, Reid also curled over from 25 yards after another of his free kicks had cause confusion in the home defence.

Marcus Cusani might have then done better on 32 minutes when running clear through the right channel, but his effort lacked any conviction and did not extend City keeper Adam Bartlett. The Minstermen recovered from that brief indifferent period with Adriano Moke seeing a deflected 20-yard attempt bounce off the top of the crossbar, before firing wide from a similar distance and it was soon 3-0 when, on 38 minutes, Law’s left-wing corner hung in the air and Tait planted a downward header past Pearson at the far post.

City went on to add a fourth before the break when Griffiths played Burrow clear on goal.

He sidefooted against Pearson’s left-hand upright and Harris followed up to mark his debut with a tap-in.

After the break, sub York and Burrow combined to tee up a 15-yard chance for Harris that he fired against Pearson's right-hand post.

Tait, meanwhile, headed wide from a Griffiths corner, while Ashton sub Declan McLoughlin’s 30-yard drive drifted wide at the other end.

A 15-yard shot by Moke also forced Pearson into a flying save after the home midfielder had ben played in by York.

The positive McLoughlin had another long-range effort safely gathered by Bartlett, before Dan Parslow was brought on a minute after the hour mark for his first outing of the season, which meant he broke into City’s top-ten, all-time appearances’ list.

On 63 minutes, City went on to make it 5-0 as Newton sprung the offside trap and his low left-wing cross into the six-yard box was turned into the roof of the net by York.

The latter went on to see Pearson spill two of his 15-yard efforts, but the away keeper was not punished on either occasion.

Cusani, meanwhile, went close for the visitors when he curled a free kick narrowly over, but George Hassall's 15-yard shot on the turn easily collected by Bartlett.

Moments later, Newton curled wide with his right foot from the edge of the box, but Athletic still pressed for a consolation with Hassall’s header from a McLoughlin free kick calling Bartlett into action and Cusani might have got his name on the scoresheet on 87 minutes, but his shot was saved by Bartlett after he had charged on to Calum Wilson’s through ball.

In stoppage time, Newton dragged the game's last shot off target from 35 yards.