YORK City fans were left drowning their sorrows following a poor display by their team at the Brewery Field.

An opening goal from Stephen Brogan, followed by Glen Taylor’s brace, meanwhile, meant hosts Spennymoor were toasting their first-ever victory against the Minstermen.

The visitors were seen off 3-0 and the defeat provoked angry scenes at the final whistle as a group of City fans gathered around the players’ tunnel to hurl abuse at manager Sam Collins and his inherited players.

Mark Anderson and Shane Henry also rattled the frame of the goal for Spennymoor.

Sub Josh Law hit the crossbar too for the Minstermen, while Macaulay Langstaff and Hamza Bencherif had efforts ruled out, but the final margin of victory didn’t flatter the fourth-placed home team.

Earlier, City had created the first chance of the night, but Wes York could only shoot straight at home keeper Matthew Gould on four minutes after Bencherif had spotted his diagonal run in the penalty box.

At the other end, Andrew Johnson’s 20-yard drive was safely gathered by Adam Bartlett after he had run at a back-tracking Kallum Griffiths.

Alex Harris went on to see a 30-yard attempt whistle just over and York lobbed an inventive effort on to the roof of the net, before Spennymoor took the lead on 16 minutes.

Finding himself isolated in the right-back position, York was muscled off the ball by Brogan close to the touchline and the Moors’ left-back then cut inside before curling inside Bartlett’s far post.

After Langstaff put the ball in the net from Sean Newton’s through ball, only to be flagged offside, the hosts doubled their advantage on 24 minutes after Joe Tait gave away a free kick close to the halfway line having caught Taylor with his arm.

Brogan’s free kick went on to find Anderson completely unmarked close to the penalty spot and, when his volley was parried by Bartlett, Taylor was on hand to find an inviting net.

A long-range Anderson shot subsequently hit the roof of the stand, while Gould had to tip a Griffiths cross over the bar.

On 38 minutes, Taylor dragged well wide from 25 yards after turning Bencherif and Burrow failed to net with two headed chances – the first comfortably saved from a Griffiths centre and the second aimed wide from a Newton cross.

In between, Anderson was afforded a free shot in the away box, but his 12-yard drive was beaten away by Bartlett and Henry went on to blast over from long range.

After the break, Anderson charged through the left channel before hitting the top of Bartlett’s bar and Henry struck the City keeper’s left-hand upright moments later with a 30-yard piledriver.

At the other end, a 20-yard Griffiths shot was deflected wide and sub Jon Parkin headed over from a Harris free kick.

Burrow’s firm header from a Harris right-wing cross was also well held by Gould.

Centre-back Bencherif, meanwhile, headed in on 69 minutes, but his effort was disallowed for leaning on an opponent.

Jake Wright, who was lively after being introduced off the bench just past the hour, went on to cut in from the left and curl just wide.

For Spennymoor, Anderson curled just off target from the edge of the box, before City sub Josh Law thundered a free kick, won by Wright, against the bar.

Adriano Moke then drove wide from the rebound, while Griffiths also fired across the face of goal from 15 yards.

At the other end, Robert Ramshaw drove wide from distance, before more slack away defending saw Bencherif’s pocket pinched by ex-City striker Adam Boyes, who had entered the action as an 80th-minute sub.

Boyes then squared for Taylor to shoot past an exposed Bartlett from ten yards.

That 88th-minute effort was followed by further stoppage-time home chances with Shaun Tuton shooting wide from 25 yards and Anderson finding the trees behind the goal from the edge of the box.

Defeat means the Minstermen have now lost to three of the division’s top-four teams – Chorley, Kidderminster and Spennymoor – without scoring a goal, ahead of third-placed Bradford Park Avenue’s visit to Bootham Crescent this weekend.

City ratings

Adam Bartlett 6

Kallum Griffiths 5

Joe Tait 6

Hamza Bencherif 4

Sean Newton 4

Alex Harris 5

Russ Penn 5

Adriano Moke 5

Macaulay Langstaff 5

Jordan Burrow 5

Wes York 5

Substitutes: Jon Parkin 5 (for York, 46), Jake Wright 7 (for Langstaff, 61), Josh Law 6 (for Penn, 61).

Subs not used: Tom Allan, Nathan Dyer.

Star man: Wright – injected purpose and determination when introduced

Spennymoor: Matthew Gould, Jacob Hibbs (Rob Atkinson, 46), Kris Thackray, James Curtis (Shaun Tuton, 54), Stephen Brogan, Andrew Johnson (Adam Boyes, 80), Jamie Chandler, Shane Henry, Mark Anderson, Glen Taylor, Robert Ramshaw. Subs not used: Chris Elliott, Kevin Hayes.

Spennymoor star man: Taylor – tucked in his two chances with minimal fuss

Referee: Paul Brown 7/10 – assertive with his decisions

Booked: Taylor 63, Ramshaw 73, Wright 81, Bencherif 86

Sent off: None

Attendance: 1,063

Shots on target: Spennymoor 8, City 5

Shots off target: Spennymoor 7, City 8

Corners: Spennymoor 1, City 6

Fouls conceded: Spennymoor 6, City 14

Offside: Spennymoor 0, City 3