YORK City juniors survived a very poor second-half performance to hang on for a 3-2 victory over Burton Albion.

First-half goals from Dan Owers, Jazz Alali and Dom Brown gave City a commanding lead at the break but the final whistle could not come quick enough as Steve Torpey’s teenagers almost let the three points slip from their grasp.

The Minstermites were without injured pair Dean Lisles and Jamie Hopcutt but forged ahead when first-year striker Owers fired the hosts in front.

Nick Thompson found time in the middle of the park to find right-winger Jed Vale, who wrong-footed the full back and cut inside to pick out a perfectly-timed run from Owers, who confidently smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

City doubled their advantage when Alali slid in for his first goal of the campaign after an inviting ball across the face of goal from Vale.

Brown then made it 3-0 when his shot on the turn squirmed under the Burton keeper’s body.

A deflected free-kick brought the visitors back into the game, however, with City enduring an anxious finale after another set-piece saw a corner headed in by a Burton substitute.