KURT WILLOUGHBY scored a brace to make sure York City rounded off their pre-season preparations in ideal style with a 3-2 win at National League outfit Notts County.

For the second year in a row, the Minstermen came away from Meadow Lane with a confidence-boosting victory in thoroughly entertaining circumstances.

Missing Scott Barrow, Josh King and Matty Brown, York were maybe two players shy of what might be considered their strongest 11 ahead of August 14 - but they scarcely looked it as they went toe-to-toe with the Magpies.

Willoughby got the ball rolling with the opener for City, who went into the break 2-1 down, before Beck levelled following good work from Paddy McLaughlin.

York seemed to tire towards the end but found the strength to dig out one more defining chance through Willoughby, while Pete Jameson pulled off some mighty saves to ensure City go into their season-opener against Kidderminster Harriers on a high.

After City’s youthful outing at Ossett United, this was – as anticipated – a more familiar side at Meadow Lane. Sean Newton recovered in time from a bout of tendonitis to partner new recruit and immensely capable stand-in centre-back Sam Fielding in the centre of defence, with Michael Duckworth to their right.

In the continued absence of Barrow, Paddy McLaughlin dropped back from midfield into the left-back berth. Akil Wright – who gave a taster of his potential in this fixture ahead of last season – provided the cover in front of the back line.

Manager Steve Watson went with the exciting prospect of the trio of Kurt Willoughby and Mark Beck leading the line, with Clayton Donaldson in support. They were backed up by the sprightly Mackenzie Heaney and Olly Dyson.

Four of County’s six summer signings started against the Minstermen. Signed from National League rivals Torquay United after their play-off final defeat to Hartlepool, 6ft 3ins former Newcastle youth and one-time York loanee Kyle Cameron started in the centre of defence.

He had ex-Chesterfield wing-back Joel Taylor to his left and 21-year-old holding midfielder Ed Francis – who captained England stars Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho as he came through the Manchester City Academy – in front.

With 200 Football League appearances to his name, most recently at Swindon Town, Matt Palmer took up his spot in the midfield. French-born winger Aaron Nemane started on the bench.

Notts were largely on the front foot from the off, playing at a decent tempo and winning a glut of corners early on. Dion Kelly-Evans and Cal Roberts linked up nicely in the area after a cross-field ball cut out McLaughlin but Newton was there to mop up in the middle.

City had their moments, though, Willoughby a willing runner to well-weighted balls over the top. Following a decent York move forward, he was handed possession in the area from a misplaced Taylor pass. Nothing came of it as the ball went all the way to the back line.

But Willoughby had City ahead in the 18th minute. From the former Fylde man’s good work down the left, Beck had a close-range shot clawed away on the line before McLaughlin’s effort from the centre of the area was blocked. When keeper Sam Slocombe came out to claim, the determined Willoughby forced him to mishandle and nutmegged him from five yards out. Home fans were unhappy Willoughby had the chance to shoot, believing Slocombe had the ball in his hands.

Roberts was one of three players causing City trouble down the attacking right, along with Kelly-Evans and Kairo Mitchell, and he put Notts level 10 minutes after Willoughby’s opener. After Cameron headed clear a Heaney corner, County broke with Roberts. He thundered a curling left-footed effort off the underside of Pete Jameson’s crossbar, from where it was ruled to have bounced down over the line.

The keeper did well five minutes after to keep possession of the ball after fumbling it under close pressure from Mitchell.

At the other end, Beck was presented with a decent opportunity on the turn from six yards out when a cross struck Adam Chicksen in the face, perfectly cushioning it into the striker’s path. Beck should have done better than to simply pound it at Slocombe.

Eight minutes before the break, a sheepish Taylor put the hosts in front. From the left-hand touchline, he wound up a cross which took a significant deflection, catching Jameson out and looping into the keeper’s bottom-left corner. Even by pre-season standards, the left-back barely celebrated.

Roberts might have added a third before the break were it not for the intervention of one of his own players. Wright was pulled up for a heavy, albeit clumsy, tackle on the edge of the area and Roberts thundered the free kick towards goal and straight into a Magpies man.

Duckworth and Newton combined for a heart-stopping moment early in the second half, when the former’s weak backpass almost teed up Mitchell before Newton, seemingly in full control of what he was doing, sliced a clearance just wide.

Heading straight back up the other end, City were level through Beck. McLaughlin delivered a fantastic cross from the dead-ball line and Beck had the simplest chance from the far post to nod beyond the scrambling Slocombe.

County’s Taylor picked up the first yellow card seen in any York game of this pre-season after pursuing rather too doggedly Dyson before bringing him down when the tricky midfielder evaded his attentions.

Roberts came alarmingly close to restoring County’s lead. His effort trickled inches wide of Jameson’s right-hand post, but, more worryingly, he had set himself up by jinking his way through a packed York box without anyone getting a toe to the ball.

Jameson did very well midway through the second period to stand up to substitute Connell Rawlinson, whose powerful effort from a tight angle the City stopper blocked confidently.

Under increasing home pressure with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, City’s only chance for 20 minutes – when substitute Woods found plenty of space but only curled into Slocombe’s gloves – was Beck lobbed feebly wide after spotting Slocombe off his line.

With City fading, a draw looked to be the best outcome they could hope for - but Willoughby had other ideas. He perfectly killed Beck's headed flick-on at his feet and ran through on goal. His powerful low effort squirmed under Slocombe.

Notts County: Slocombe, Chicksen (Rawlinson HT), Cameron, Brindley, Taylor, Kelly-Evans (Nemane 61), Francis, Palmer, Roberts (O’Brien 75), Wootton, Mitchell (Sam 61). Subs not used: Brooks, McGregor.

Goals: Roberts (28), Taylor (37)

Yellow cards: Taylor

York: Jameson, Duckworth (Hopper 72), Fielding, Newton, McLaughlin, Wright, Heaney, Dyson, Donaldson (Woods 56), Willoughby, Beck. Subs not used: Campbell, Haase, Trialist ‘A’, Jones, Degruchy, Knowles.

Goals: Willoughby (18, 83), Beck (49)

Referee: Martyn Fryer

Attendance: 2,095 (167 York fans)

Match stats for Notts County / York

Shots (on target): 17 (6) / 10 (8)

Corners: 8 / 3

Offsides: 1 / 4

Fouls: 8 / 4

Yellow cards: 1 / 0