YORK City fell to their second defeat in two pre-season games as they went down 2-0 at Whitby Town.

As was the case against South Shields, though, this was another instance of teams at opposite ends of preparation meeting. Just York's third warm-up game, this was the Seasiders' sixth.

Adam Gell found the space in the area inside quarter of an hour to poke home the opener and bundled in the second with 15 minutes remaining.

As per the mission statement, City were improved from Tuesday and showed flashes of what fans could hope for next season but more game time will only be of benefit.

Whitby Town boss Chris Hardy gave another start to summer signing Jacob Hazel with young forward Marcus Giles also making the 11. Giles got the winner in the Seasiders’ first game since March, a 1-0 win over Billingham Sythonia.

New signing and former York City loan player Lewis Hawkins was left out of the squad. Other former Minstermen Daniel Rowe and Jassem Sukar made the team.

York boss Steve Watson had three trialists in the squad along with striker Reon Potts, who signed for the Minstermen Saturday morning after impressing on trial. The 19-year-old Potts arrived from Scunthorpe United.

Ryan Whitley started between the sticks, with one of the trialists his back-up on the bench.

Young striker Rob Guilfoyle was given a start after featuring for the final 35 minutes against South Shields while central midfielder Michael Woods made the 11. Michael Duckworth – who pulled out of Tuesday’s match at Shields – was also on from the off.

Within a minute of kick off, the spritely Guilfoyle skipped through midfield and skewed a long-range shot which drifted over to the corner flag. It set the tone for an opening 10 minutes of bright, forward-thinking intentions where the final touch or pass was lacking.

York peppered the Whitby box with crosses but none were met by a City head. Potts went down in the area under pressure from Jameel Ible but his appeals were waved away.

Hazel showed good strength at the other end to force his way through. He laid it off to Giles, whose return ball was cut out.

Adam Gell broke the deadlock 13 minutes in. A low corner was smartly flicked on at the near post and Gell met it in space inside the area to poke home.

Mackenzie Heaney was kept from making it two from around the edge of the area by Whitley’s low save to his left. Smart work from Giles down the right originally got Whitby on the attack.

York’s best chance of the first half-hour fell to Michael Duckworth. Guilfoyle did well to pull the ball back on the edge of the area, it ran through for Duckworth 16 yards out and he curled well wide of keeper Shane Bland’s right-hand post.

For Whitby, Giles, coming in from the left, cracked Whitley’s crossbar with a dipping shot from 25 yards.

After a give-and-go with the midfield trialist, Duckworth had sight of goal again. From a tricky angle, he put the ball comfortably over the bar.

Following neat play with Duckworth, Guilfoyle had a good ball into the area cut out by Bland.

Lewis Ritson struck the first shot of the second half. Emboldened by his unopposed run from the centre circle towards the edge of the York area, he scuffed a bobbling effort wide of Whitley’s left-hand upright.

Recently crowned Clubman of the Year, Sean Newton tried his luck from distance as the game approached the hour mark. He set York on the attack with a fine cross-field ball to Duckworth, whose centre was not headed away well. Jake Cassidy’s effort rebounded out and Newton took a touch before unleashing a left-footed drive that was always curling away from the target.

The introduction of Jack Redshaw and Harry Bunn at half-time refreshed York’s attack and the pair looked to combine on the edge of the area but the former’s lay-off was fractionally too light for Bunn.

A golden chance fell to Cassidy as a cross made its way ow across the area but, off-balance, the striker put it over.

Gell doubled Whitby’s advantage in the 75th minute. Whitley looked like he had done just enough to deny the Seasiders’ double effort at the near post but a clearance off the line hit Gell and it bobbled in.

Whitby: Bland, Cobain, Martin, Ible, Ritson, Sukar, Gell, Rowe (Burn 61), Giles (Mills 86), Hazel, Heaney (Cooke 73). Subs: Bullock, Dixon.

York: Whitley, King 5 (Whitfield 73), Tinkler 5 (Kennedy 6 HT), Newton 6 (Jebson-King 73), Duckworth 6 (Harrison 73), Barrow, Trialist ‘A’ 5 (McLaughlin 68), Dyson 5 (Trialist ‘C’ 68), Woods 4 (Bunn 6 HT), Potts 5 (Redshaw 6 HT), Guilfoyle 5 (Cassidy 5 HT). Subs: Trialist ‘B’.

Star man: Sean Newton. A strong and very vocal performance at the back.

Goals: Whitby: Gell (13, 75)