YORK City suffered a fifth straight defeat as table-topping Plymouth left Bootham Crescent with a comfortable 2-1 win.

First-half goals from Jake Jervis and Graham Carey put the Pilgirms in the ascendancy and prompted home boss Jackie McNamara to introduce the re-registered Jonathan Greening for the second half.

The ex-Manchester United midfielder helped inspire an improved second-half display that saw Ben Godfrey score his first professional goal in the ninth of 11 stoppage-time minutes, added on due to a Dave Winfield injury. But the result meant City increased their win-less run without a league triumph to 11 matches.

Plymouth were quickly into their stride with Carey firing across the face of Scott Flinders’ goal after ghosting in through the left channel with less than two minutes on the clock.

After a weak clearance by Dave Winfield and a mix-up between Femi Ilesanmi and Michael Collins, Flinders then had to dive low to his left to keep out a 12-yard attempt by Jervis.

Craig Tanner also drilled narrowly wide from the edge of the box before teeing up Carey for a ten-yard chance that was parried away by Flinders.

The visitors’ pressure went on to reap its rewards on 19 minutes when Carey’s cross from the left saw Jervis sneak ahead of his marker and convert at the near post from five yards.

Plymouth’s goalkeeper coach James Bittner, making his Football League debut at the age of 33 with first-choice Luke McCormick injured, was only required to make one save before the break – a routine catch from James Berrett’s heavily-deflected 20-yard shot.

Carey, meanwhile, went on to lift an edge-of-the-box opportunity on to the roof of the David Longhurst Stand before adding the visitors’ second goal.

City right-back Eddie Nolan was left for dead by Gregg Wylde, who pulled the ball back for Carey to hit a firm first-time strike past Flinders from 15 yards.

Greening was given a rousing reception by the Bootham Crescent faithful when he ran out for the second half and City managed their second goal attempt of the match moments later when Berrett headed wide from Ilesanmi’s left-wing cross.

Plymouth got back on the front foot, though, when Carey’s rising shot was kept out at his near post by Flinders and the same player then hit the top of the City crossbar from out on the right flank.

Jervis also prodded wide after being played in through the left channel by Carey.

The hosts saw Winfield stretchered off on 72 minutes and Ben Godfrey went on to shoot over from 15 yards following substitute David Tutonda’s pull back.

Greening also drove too high from 25 yards before showing good skill on the left and putting in a cross that saw Godfrey’s downward header force a save from Bittner.

An edge-of-the-box Tutonda attempt, meanwhile, was kept out by Bittner low to his left before his trickery led to a chance for Godfrey that he blasted in from ten yards in front of the David Longhurst Stand.