YORK City came from a goal down to claim their second victory of pre-season beating National League outfit Hartlepool United 2-1.

Summer signing Dan Maguire cancelled out former Portsmouth forward Nicke Kabamba's first-half header and Alex Kempster got the winner with just over 20 minutes remaining.

The halves did not starkly contrast, though there was a definite shift in dynamic during the second 45 as a largely unchanged City side threatened far more against a vastly different Pools team.

Take nothing away from City, though, as the second-half Hartlepool still posed a challenge, with Frenchman Gime Toure tricky across the pitch and stinging the gloves of Peter Jameson late on.

But York's attack got more purchase after the break and, once Maguire netted, the winner looked sure to follow.

Pools boss Craig Hignett named a competitive starting 11 featuring a mix of summer signings and first-team regulars.

Former Chelsea youth keeper Ben Killip, signed from Braintree, sat behind fellow recent acquisitions Gus Mafuta, and Luke Molyneux, as well as Huddersfield Town Under-23 defender Romoney Crichlow-Noble, while Kabamba, Nicky Featherstone and Luke James – who all featured heavily towards the end of the 2018/19 National League season – were deployed further upfield.

There was little to speak of in terms of clear-cut chances in the opening quarter of an hour – though that is not to say it was not entertaining.

The Super 6 Stadium side have been on fire in front of goal this pre-season, scoring 17 in their opening three warm-up fixtures – albeit against lower-league opposition in Billingham Town, Shildon and Newton Aycliffe.

Before Wednesday, their only defeat – and goals conceded – came 4-0 at home to Championship side Middlesbrough.

It is understandable that they would have had joy against such opponents as they had the large part of possession at Bootham Crescent in the early exchanges, and used it well across the pitch and forward line, where Kabamba looked lively.

But again, York showed keen defending across the team to contain Hartlepool well, with Steve McNulty and Sean Newton, in particular, among those making their presence felt on the ground and in the air.

And when the ball was up the other end, Dan Maguire – top scorer for Blyth Spartans last season – was twinkled-toed as twice in quick succession he skipped past his man into the area, only to be just dispossessed.

Crichlow-Noble had the first effort of the game, firing over from a tricky angle, while City went close with Jordan Burrow just unable to reach Maguire’s ball across goal after a firm McNulty challenge set City off on a break.

McNulty was the first player in the book following a forearm into the back of Kabamba, who had opened the scoring five minutes previously with a neat looped header over Peter Jameson from Luke James’ cross.

That was the only shot on target of the half, which also featured stray efforts from the dangerous wingman David Ferguson and Josh Hawke, on for former Sunderland youth winger Molyneux, who was helped off the field following a Paddy McLaughlin challenge.

Kabamba was not far from getting a second of the game, Mafuta’s whipped cross just evading him with five minutes of the half remaining.

Hartlepool made wholesale changes for the second half, barring young left-back Crichlow-Noble, who retained his left-back berth until the 84th minute.

And York levelled eight minutes into the second period, Maguire tapping home into an empty net from man-of-the-match Ferguson’s ball. The left-back was released by Jameson’s quick ball following the breakdown of a Hartlepool corner and striker Burrow in the middle had the presence of mind to ignore his natural instincts and leave Maguire with the simplest of finishes.

City continued to threaten another breakthrough, with Burrow caught offside a minute later and a fierce 35-yard free kick off the boot of Newton that had second-half keeper Brad Young scrambling to tip it over for a corner.

The second goal arrived via Kempster. After drifting over to the right wing, the second-half substitute played in a dangerous cross that was comfortably collected, but regained quickly by City, Newton forcing a corner, from which Kempster made good headed contact.

Youngster Kiari Ventura replaced Maguire with 10 minutes to go and almost made an immediate impact, his header from a sweeping ball forward just smothered by Young.

York: Jameson, Griffiths (Dyer 73), Ferguson (Beresford 79), Newton, McNulty (Allan 73), Tait (King 43), Moke, Bond (Kempster 63), Burrow, Maguire (Ventura 79), McLaughlin (Green 63).

Subs: Allan, Kempster, Green, King, Dyer, Whitley, Jebson-King, Ventura, Beresford.

Hartlepool first half: Killip, Crichlow-Noble, Kerr, Mafuta, Molyneux (Hawkes 25), Featherstone, Kabamba, James, Noble, Richardson, Cunningham.

Hartlepool second half: Young, Anderson, Kioso, Raynes, Bale, Hawkes, Holohan, Muir, Toure, Kennedy, Shepherd.

Attendance: 870