YORK City cruised to a 3-0 win at Blyth Spartans on Saturday to move within six points of the National League North play-off spots.

The Minstermen were made to work against the elements on a very windy day, reducing the aesthetic pleasure of the spectacle, but faced little challenge on it as their flat hosts failed to test keeper Pete Jameson.

Blyth started in determined enough fashion but City grew into the game and took the lead through Clayton Donaldson in the 26th minute.

And York did not look back from there. Just four minutes later, Jack McKay made it two and midway through the second half, Paddy McLaughlin stroked home sweetly.

York boss John Askey made two changes to the side that started last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Gateshead.

Paddy McLaughlin came back into the midfield and goalscorer Clayton Donaldson returned to lead the line, with winger Remy Longdon and striker Kurt Willoughby dropping to the bench. The Northern Irishman was advanced in the midfield along with Mitch Hancox to support Donaldson as Akil Wright sat a touch deeper.

AJ Greaves, who joined City on loan from Doncaster Rovers in the week, started the day on the bench alongside Will Jarvis. The latter linked up with the Minstermen on loan from Hull City the week previously.

Connor Thomson came on as a substitute during the week to score the winning goal in the Northumberland Senior Cup against Morpeth Town. He was one of three changes for new manager Terry Mitchell’s side from Tuesday night, with Sean Reid and Robbie Dale also coming into the starting 11.

For the second time this season, City came up against former Minsterman Dan Maguire. The striker started the 4-2 league defeat at the LNER Community Stadium but was left on the bench for City’s 1-0 win in the FA Trophy.

Captain and top goalscorer by quite some way, JJ O’Donnell led the line for the side.

Blyth looked up for Saturday’s meeting, putting in plenty of firm challenges and keeping tight to the visitors.

It was a busy opening, if not quite settled in the strong, swirling winds of the North East. A good few balls went astray under minimal pressure.

Spartans gave the City back line things to deal with but they were generally equal to it, Akil Wright and Maxim Kouogun making good interceptions in the penalty area. When Thomson was played in, Pete Jameson was quick off his line to clear.

City had the only effort on goal in the opening quarter, Jack McKay getting free in the area and glancing a header just wide of Alex Mitchell's left-hand upright.

Kouogun briefly played himself into trouble and was dispossessed by Maguire, but McLaughlin barrelled back from midfield to recover the ball.

And from there on, the game was in City’s hands.

Donaldson got the opening goal in the 26th minute, nodding home unmarked after good forward-thinking play. Olly Dyson had an effort which was blocked and bounced into McKay’s path. The winger was dispossessed from behind and Hancox dinked the loose ball to the back post where Donaldson was waiting to rise and head in.

Four minutes later, McKay made it two by glancing in a header from inside the area off a low, swiftly delivered left-sided cross.

It was fairly comfortable for York to see out the remainder of the half. In a quarter of an hour pockmarked by unforced errors from both sides – though mostly from Blyth – neither keeper was really tested. Jameson was alert to a header towards his top corner, collecting with no difficulty.

The wind seemed to take an even firmer hold of proceedings as the second half kicked off, making anything even slightly off the deck unpredictable in flight.

Prodigiously uninviting conditions aside, it was all rather simple for York as a flat Blyth failed to conjure much greater threat than holding midfielder Sean Reid blasting well over from 30 yards.

City had fashioned little more, though, lacking control and accuracy in possession. Hancox worked himself a couple of chances, the first going wide after robbing the last man, and the other fairly simply stopped by keeper Alex Mitchell.

Still, the visitors were well on top by the midway mark and, growing into the game, looked good for their two-goal lead.

With just under 20 minutes to go, it was a three-goal advantage. Blyth had enjoyed the briefest of attacking flurries before playing the ball backwards – much to the displeasure of an increasingly agitated home crowd – and giving away a free kick. It was swung to the top of the area, where McKay laid off behind him and McLaughlin stroked home right-footed into the far bottom corner.

Blyth: Mitchell, Evans, Liddle, Reid (McKeown 68), Maguire (McNall 76), O'Donnell, Dale, Deverdics, Lees, Thomson, Almond. Subs not used: Buddle, Watson, Hickey.

York: Jameson 7, Duckworth 7, Barrow 6, Brown 7, Kouogun 6, McLaughlin 6, Wright 7, Hancox 7, Dyson 6 (Jarvis 90+3), Donaldson 7 (Willoughby 90+3), McKay 7 (Longdon 88). Subs not used: Campbell, Greaves.

Star man: Mitch Hancox. There were a few solid performances to choose from - Michael Duckworth impressed at right back, for one - but for his hand in getting City off the mark, allied to his general work going forwards, Hancox wins it this time.

Goals: Donaldson (26), McKay (30), McLaughlin (71)

Yellow cards: Kouogun

Referee: Paul Cooper

Attendance: 1,250