GOALSCORER Mackenzie Heaney believes he is getting back to his best after suffering a dip, along with the rest of the York City team.

The attacking midfielder was the stand-out performer on Saturday as York dismantled Blyth Spartans 4-0 in a comprehensive and dominant performance.

Heaney threatened on a number of occasions to create a goal for City, particularly during a lightning-fast start, before finishing off a break to put York 3-0 up with less than half an hour on the clock.

His starring role came four days after garnering praise for a bright showing in York's 2-1 midweek loss at Boston United after having had a few games with less impact up front.

On his form this season, Heaney admitted: “It started well. It had a little dip when we were losing games but I think I’m getting back to my best.

“I thought Tuesday night we should have got a result but (Saturday) was a good performance from the boys.

“We all had a smile on our faces. We mixed it up today, a few lads playing in different positions. I was on the right coming in and Kurt was on the left coming inside.

“We’ve been working on right-foot finishing with Becky so I’m just glad I got it off at the end.

“The gaffer’s spoken to us and said he wants everyone to step up. It’s hard with injuries and other stuff going on but I think the lads have stepped up and it’s only up from here, hopefully.

“(Morale) is good. You have nights where you’re disappointed but overall, with what we’ve had injury-wise and what the gaffer’s had to select from, I think we’ve done well from what we’ve got."

City started Saturday with a determination they have not played with for a good while.

Fastest to every ball and single-minded in winning it back, City deservedly took a third-minute lead when McLaughlin got on the end of Donaldson's long throw into the box.

“I think a few people are surprised by (Donaldson’s long throw)," Heaney said. We’ve worked on it on the training ground. I’m glad it came off today."

Having gone in at the break three goals to the good, City "got praised" but not too much, Heaney says.

"You don’t want us to take our foot off the gas," he explained.

“We wanted to go full steam ahead, keep the ball moving and play the game out like we were, playing high intensity.

“(Blyth) came out in the first five minutes and hoyed in a few tackles but our movement with the ball and off the ball, I think that’s what made the difference today."

Left-footed Heaney was switched to the right in an attacking three behind Donaldson, with Kurt Willoughby on the left and Olly Dyson through the middle.

The three were effective - five minutes after the break, Willoughby added a fourth goal, set up by Dyson.

“I’ve got experience of playing on the right," Heaney commented.

“I think we all enjoyed it. You could see everyone had a smile on their face and Dys was getting in the gaps and I was coming inside, beating my man, and Kurt the same on the other side.

“I think it worked really well."

On maintaining the intensity of the opening stages, Heaney added: “You’ve just got to manage it.

"There are a couple of minutes where Blyth might have had a decent spell of possession and maybe got in behind.

“You’ve just got to see when you can press high and when you’ve maybe got to drop off a little bit, manage it and see when you can back on the front foot."

City are back in action on Saturday (3pm) when they face Northern Premier League premier division high-flyers Buxton at the LNER Community Stadium in the FA Cup first round proper.

Heaney said: “We know Buxton are a good side, even though they’re in the league below, but play like that and I think we’ll beat most teams, give them a good game and a good run for their money."