YORK City made it four wins on the bounce with a 3-1 victory at home over National League North strugglers AFC Telford United.

Jack McKay netted a sweet lob to open the scoring at the LNER Community Stadium, and Akil Wright's powerful solo effort gave the dominant City a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time.

The hosts seemed to take their foot off the pedal for the second half and after some feeble probing, Telford pulled one back through substitute Jason Oswell.

But Maxim Kouogun rose to head in a third just minutes later after loanee Lenell John-Lewis made his introduction.

John Askey made three changes to the side that started the win over Morpeth Town.

After his match-changing cameo on Saturday, Kurt Willoughby earned himself the sole starting striker’s spot in place of Clayton Donaldson, who dropped to the bench.

Winger McKay also returned to the 11, having been cup-tied for Morpeth, and centre-back Maxim Kouogun recovered from the injury that forced his late exclusion on Saturday.

Loanees Will Jarvis and AJ Greaves slotted back in among the substitutes.

Lenell John-Lewis, who signed for York on loan from Grimsby Town on the day of the game, also began on the bench as Remy Longdon missed out entirely.

There was one change for Telford from their 1-0 weekend defeat at home to Kidderminster Harriers, with the well-travelled Byron Moore coming in for Pat Jarrett.

On loan from National League outfit Solihull Moors, Jordan Piggott kept his place while former Harrogate Town winger Brendon Daniels started on the bench.

City started fast and with some haste in getting to the final third. They found themselves camped in there for much of the first quarter of an hour, with their visitors – who had arrived without a win on the road – happy to get the ball clear, or for keeper Russ Griffiths to eat up time before goal kicks.

Within two minutes, Akil Wright, in space, had powered a bouncing ball just over before Olly Dyson beat Brad Boot down the attacking right and whipped in a low cross which Griffiths collected. Dyson then put a 30-yard free kick just wide of Griffiths’ left-hand upright.

Willoughby was close to getting the opener when Mitch Hancox’s low ball beat Ross White and made it to the sprightly McKay, whose pass-cum-shot made it to the feet of the striker but it was somehow recovered from Willoughby and into the grateful arms of Griffiths.

York did not have to wait much longer for their opener, though, as Michael Duckworth burst out of right-back and nicked a slightly short pass before deftly beating a challenger and playing a ball to the top of the area. It was worked on to McKay, who lobbed Griffiths from the angle.

The winger could have added a second a couple of minutes later after latching onto a woeful Theo Streete back pass and rounding Griffiths but his shot was into the side netting.

Advantage established, City’s intensity fell away and as Telford found their feet for the first time in the contest, they came frighteningly close to levelling, Pete Jameson required to show good reactions to get down to his left and punch away an Andre Wright volley before an effort from inside the area went just wide.

Telford defended like a side cripplingly low on confidence and could not clear their lines from any aerial ball into the box, somehow contriving to loft the ball back into their area at times.

City’s eagerness to get forward had looked their undoing at times in the first quarter of the game, things happening just a bit too fast to look under control on occasion, but were streets ahead of Telford, regardless.

Akil Wright made sure the scoreboard reflected the gulf at half-time by doubling City’s advantage from range. He picked up a loose ball from his namesake Andre, drove forward from just inside his own half and stayed on his feet despite a nibble on his heels and powered in from 25 yards. Griffiths got a hand to it but could not keep out the powerful effort into his bottom-left corner.

Telford made a better fist of it at the start of the second half, but they were far from convincing on the ball and lacking the confidence to have a go at goal.

The visitors might even have shaded the possession stats in the second half, but showed a point-blank refusal to test Jameson.

No such lack of confidence for City, who saw efforts from Paddy McLaughlin, Willoughby and Dyson all go close. The latter was the closest of the lot, Dyson whipping a dipping shot with his right instep just wide of the far post.

After the clock ticked past the 70-minute mark, and another couple of tame Telford corners came and went, Willoughby had a pair of efforts, one from either side of the goal and both wide of their respective far posts.

Telford got back in it with 12 minutes to go as Jason Oswell rose well to head an inswinging corner and put York on edge.

But home nerves were settled four minutes later as Kouogun powered in a header from a Dyson corner after both McKay and Hancox saw efforts saved. The former should have scored his effort when played through by John-Lewis following a good Wright interception, while the latter’s effort should have been held by Griffiths and not allowed to go out.

York: Jameson 7, Duckworth 7, Kouogun 6, Brown 6, Barrow 6, McLaughlin 6, Wright 7, Hancox 7, Dyson 7, Willoughby 6 (John-Lewis 7, 76), McKay 7. Subs not used: Campbell, Greaves, Jarvis, Donaldson.

Star man: Akil Wright. An excellent performance breaking up play in the centre of the park and creating attacks, perfectly exemplified by a wonderful solo goal.

Goals: McKay (17), Wright (45+2), Kouogun (82)

Yellow cards: McKay

Telford: Griffiths, White, Streete, Baker (Daniels 66), Goodridge, Moore (Jarrett 66), Bood, Wright (Oswell HT), Piggott, Ward, Nolan. Subs not used: Shaw, Sherif.

Goals: Oswell (78)

Referee: James Bancroft

Attendance: 2,402 (42 away supporters)

Stats for York | Telford

Shots (on target): 17 (6) | 5 (3); Corners: 4 | 4; Offsides: 0 | 1; Fouls: 7 | 4; Yellow cards: 1 | 0