JORDAN Burrow equalled a York City club record when his £25,000 match-winning goal at Blyth Spartans meant he had scored in three consecutive rounds of the FA Cup.

That feat was last achieved by Richard Brodie against Bedworth, Crewe and Cambridge United in 2009 and, otherwise, is only matched in the Minstermen’s 96-year history by an elite group of players boasting Keith Walwyn (1985/86), Gordon Staniforth (1978/79), Phil Boyer (1969/70), Jimmy Hughes (1937/38), Fred Laycock (1930/31), Sam Ranby (1926/27) and R Holland (1925/26).

Burrow’s fourth goal in this term’s tournament is also the joint-highest Cup haul since the late great Paul Aimson netted five times in the competition 48 years ago during the 1970/71 campaign.

The in-form City striker, who has netted six times during as many games in all competitions, is still only halfway to catching the Minstermen’s record Cup scorer in a single season, though, with that honour belonging to the legendary Arthur Bottom.

He plundered eight goals during the Happy Wanderers’ glorious 1954/55 charge to the semi-finals where, of course, he hit the target in front of 65,000 fans at Hillsborough.

Burrow’s achievements will, therefore, be placed in context, given he has only made the scoresheet in qualifying rounds so far, with Ashton Athletic, St Ives Town and Blyth his victims.

But, nevertheless, City supporters desperate for their team to make inroads at the top of the National League North table can take encouragement from the visitors’ performance at either end of the Croft Park pitch.

For all of Blyth’s 100mph bluster, the Minstermen remained unpanicked and looked more accomplished in both penalty boxes, with keeper Adam Bartlett celebrating his seventh clean sheet of the season.

The former Spartans shot-stopper is also yet to concede during four-and-a-half hours of Cup football this term.

Making his presence felt in both 18-yard areas, meanwhile, was Russ Penn, who delivered the kind of performance reminiscent of those he produced on a regular basis four-and-a-half years ago when he captained the club to within a couple of victories of securing a place three leagues higher than where the Minstermen currently ply their trade.

Demonstrating anticipation that was a step ahead of anybody on the pitch, Penn made countless blocks, tackles and interceptions, with the most notable earning his team a penalty just past the hour mark, only for Sean Newton to see his spot kick saved.

Earlier, having given a rousing reception before the game to Alan Shoulder and Brian Slane – Spartans legends from their club’s famous run to the tournament’s last 16 forty years ago - the ebullient home fans helped generate a real Cup-tie atmosphere from the kick-off and the players responded well after Joe Tait crashed a fierce third-minute volley into the net from Josh Law’s lofted pass, only to be flagged offside.

Seconds later, Bartlett was forced into a flying save to keep out Connor Oliver’s 12-yard drive, while Macaulay Langstaff’s rising shot was comfortably dealt with at his near post by current home keeper Peter Jameson when a square ball to Burrow might have been the better option.

But Langstaff’s movement through the right channel was causing Blyth early problems - especially rusty debutant Louis Laing.

And, when he charged through again on to a perfectly-weighted Kallum Griffiths through ball, his decision-making could not be faulted, delivering a tantalising low cross into the near post, where Burrow stole in front of his marker and guided the ball past Jameson from close range.

The goal did not appear to deter Blyth, however, with Daniel Maguire curling over from 25 yards and the ever-dangerous Robbie Dale teasing a 26th-minute yellow card out of Newton, leaving the City left back treading a disciplinary tightrope for the rest of the contest.

But Collins’ men were still threatening on the counter and Langstaff dragged across the face of goal after being released through the right channel again by Griffiths.

Dale, meanwhile, flashed the last chance of the half wide after cutting inside from the right.

Blyth began the second period with equal purpose, creating three chances in as many minutes following the restart, with Bartlett tipping over a 10-yard Michael Liddle volley, Jamie Holmes tiptoeing past Penn just inside the penalty box before dragging wide and Oliver also forcing the City keeper into an unconvincing scrambled save.

Despite the home pressure, though, City continued to break well and, after Jameson was troubled by a Griffiths cross, Burrow’s shot struck covering defender Alex Nicholson on the line.

Tait headed well over from the resulting corner, while Burrow drove another 10-yard chance straight at Jameson.

Moments later, Collins made a tactical switch designed to assist his players’ efforts to repel Blyth’s raids into their box, sacrificing Law’s midfield quality on the ball for Hamza Bencherif’s muscle as a third centre-half.

It looked an inspired move as Blyth went 23 minutes without mustering a shot at the visitors’ goal.

In the meantime, the Minstermen squandered an excellent opportunity to give themselves a little breathing space on 62 minutes.

Penn intercepted a sloppy Blyth ball out of defence and then charged for the left byline, making inroads into the penalty box before sandwiching himself in between Nicholson and Oliver and going to ground.

Referee David McNamara subsequently pointed to the spot, but Jameson dived low to his right to keep out Newton’s blasted effort.

Griffiths went on to drive wide with an ambitious long-range attempt, while Maguire’s glancing header missed the target following a free kick by Oliver, who also tried his luck with a wayward 40-yard shot after Bartlett’s poor clearance.

Another away chance to put the tie to bed went begging on 81 minutes when Alex Harris showed great desire to burst on to a Penn through ball, but he stabbed at his shot, allowing Jameson to save with his left boot.

Bencherif went on to epitomise City’s spirit when he hurled himself in front of an 88th-minute Dale shot, diverting the ball over Bartlett’s bar and, after Simon Heslop blasted over from 20 yards in stoppage time, the travelling faithful could celebrate their team reaching the first round proper for the first time since dropping out of the Football League in 2016.

City ratings

Adam Bartlett 7

Kallum Griffiths 8

Joe Tait 8

Tom Allan 7

Sean Newton 7

Russ Penn 9

Josh Law 7

Simon Heslop 7

Alex Harris 7

Macaulay Langstaff 8

Jordan Burrow 8

Substitutes: Hamza Bencherif 8 – brave (for Law, 58), Adriano Moke (for Langstaff, 72), Wes York (for Harris, 90+3).

Subs not used: Ryan Whitley, Nathan Dyer, Jon Parkin, Jake Wright.

Star man: Penn - – excellent from start to finish, intercepting, blocking and tackling, as well as driving team forward when opportunity arose

Blyth: Peter Jameson, Alex Nicholson, Louis Laing, Jordan Watson, Michael Liddle (Jarrett Rivers, 86), Jamie Holmes (Adam Wrightson, 70), Connor Oliver, Damen Mullen (Bradley Fewster, 80), Robbie Dale, Sean Reid, Daniel Maguire. Subs: Lewis Horner, Ian Watson, Sam Brotherton, Bradley Skirpan.

Blyth star man: Dale – constant menace with ability to beat his man inside or outside

Referee: David McNamara 7/10 – kept his head in Cup tie atmosphere

Booked: Newton 26, Heslop 74, Moke 89

Sent off: None

Attendance: 1,378

Shots on target: Blyth 5, City 6

Shots off target: Blyth 8, City 4

Corners: Blyth 13, City 3

Fouls conceded: Blyth 10, City 10

Offside: Blyth 2, City 8