MITCH HANCOX score twice to help York City to a 4-2 win at Bradford Park Avenue and keep their National League North momentum rolling.

Akil Wright opened the scoring in the 20th minute, volleying in a half-clearance following a Jack McKay long throw, but Bradford's star man Oli Johnson cancelled it out with an excellent header.

The tide turned back City's way and excellent quickfire goals from Michael Duckworth and Hancox gave City a commanding lead going into the break.

But former Minsterman Harrison Hopper pulled one back shortly after the restart, and City found themselves hanging on a bit - until Hancox hit his sweet second to wrap things up.

John Askey kept a fairly settled side from the weekend’s 3-0 win at Blyth Spartans, making just the one change as Kurt Willoughby came in for Clayton Donaldson.

The 38-year-old Donaldson was the only goalscorer from Saturday to be displaced to the bench, with both Paddy McLaughlin and Jack McKay reprising their roles from Croft Park.

Loanees from Championship outfit Hull City and League One side Doncaster Rovers, respectively, York-born Will Jarvis and AJ Greaves again started on the bench at the Horsfall Stadium.

Ex-York midfielders Harrison Hopper and Sam Fielding both started for Bradford, having made a strong impression since arriving at their new club. The two were left out of the squad to travel to York as part of a “gentlemen’s agreement”, with the game being played just days after they signed for Mark Bower’s side.

Of the three goalscorers that day, only Dylan Mottley-Henry missed out. Adam Nowakowski and Nicky Clee kept their places.

City did not settle in the opening exchanges as Bradford provided more of the threat, winning a couple of free kicks and an advanced throw in.

Mitch Hancox did well going forward early on for York, keeping a ball alive against the odds and getting it into the area but it was cleared and Bradford broke, giving an early taste of the threat they possess.

Lewis Knight put a free kick just wide shortly before he was set free down the left by a wonderful ball from Oli Johnson and delivered a cross which was met in the area on the volley and brought an outstanding point-blank save from Pete Jameson.

York were gradually working their way into the game, with a Scott Barrow corner causing problems for Bradford keeper George Sykes-Kenworthy, who then had to be alert to save from Olly Dyson’s diving header from inside the area.

The visitors were also battling well in the middle of the park, Paddy McLaughlin sweetly dispossessing Johnson and Dyson showing good strength to win the ball off Adam Novakowski.

With 20 minutes on the clock, City led thanks to Wright’s instinctive volley. McKay delivered a long ball into the area and Wright, arriving around the penalty spot, powered in a half-clearance.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes, though, before Johnson headed in the equaliser from a lovely ball in from the right. Johnson picked his spot beyond Jameson and into the keeper’s top-left corner perfectly.

But how quickly the pendulum swung back, and within 10 more minutes of the equaliser, York were in complete control. Duckworth ran in on an angle from the right, played a one-two with Willoughby in the area and chipped Sykes-Kenworthy to regain the lead in the 37th minute.

In the 40th minute, Hancox planted a peach of a finish into the far bottom corner. Willoughby, this time, coming in from the right played the ball across the area. It was moved on to Hancox, who hit it first time beyond Sykes-Kenworthy.

A free kick for either side caused some problems at the start of the second half. After Hopper picked up a yellow for a poorly-timed challenge on Barrow, Willoughby struck the 35-yard effort decently, Sykes-Kenworthy having to get down well to palm away the dipping ball.

At the other end, a low free kick had to be scrambled clear after it snuck into the area.

Nine minutes after the restart, Hopper had reduced the arrears for his new employers. Johnson did very well to beat two City men on the dead-ball line with his pace and pull back into the box, where Hopper was waiting to finish confidently.

City seemed to sit off Bradford in the second half a touch, preferring to contain their hosts and look to spring attacks. McLaughlin showed good strength shoulder his way onto the ball in the middle of the park and release Hancox, who played it to Willoughby but the striker was dispossessed from behind.

There was a surprising reversion to attempted balls over the top after the first half of on-the-deck play had yielded such good results.

With a bit over a quarter of an hour remaining, Bradford threatened through substitute Akeem Hinds, whose header at the back post was at just too tight an angle to squeeze goalwards.

City were on the ropes at times, with Brad Dockerty putting an effort wide and Bradford being denied a penalty shout by the offside flag.

But in the final minute of normal time, Willoughby pulled the ball back from the right-hand side to the top of the area, where Hancox was waiting to take a touch and thump home.

Bradford: Sykes-Kenworthy, Ross, Lund, Nowakowski (Guilfoyle 69), Havern, Fielding, Hopper, Knight (Hinds 63), Dockerty, Johnson, Clee. Subs: Toulson, Hall.

Goals: Johnson (30), Hopper (54)

Yellow cards: Hopper

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

Star man: Mitch Hancox. Again, there were plenty of high-intensity performers to pick from - McLaughlin, Willoughby and Dyson showed their engines too - but Hancox's lovely first-half finish and nerve-settling second gave him the edge.

Goals: Wright (20), Duckworth (37), Hancox (40, 90)

Referee: Jamie O’Conner

Attendance: 866