YORK City were beaten in their centenary game, losing 1-0 to fellow Vanarama National League side Notts County.

Jim O’Brien’s first-half goal was enough for County to win the match, which was York's final game of pre-season.

It means City won just one of their six pre-season friendlies, beating Selby Town 4-0 on Tuesday.

The Minstermen's National League season, their first in five years, begins on Saturday, August 6, with York playing host to Woking (3pm).

The loss came in what was York's official centenary game, marking 100 years since their foundation.

The match was a replay of City's first ever game in 1922, which County won 4-2.

City and County will play each other twice-more in the coming season, at the LNER Community Stadium in September and at Meadow Lane in April.

York utilised their final game of pre-season to once again alter their starting line-up.

Fraser Kerr, Scott Burgess, Olly Dyson, Manny Duku and Alex Hurst, all starters for York against Selby, were replaced by Maxim Kouogun, AJ Greaves, Trialist ‘A’, Maziar Kouhyar and Luke James as manager John Askey made five changes.

Notts County started the game on the front foot, when their captain Kyle Cameron darted forward from the defence.

He looked for Macaulay Langstaff with his pass, but the ball went out of play before he could get it under his control.

Not even five minutes in and the visitors had a free-kick in a threatening position, just outside the box.

Ruben Rodrigues stood over it and his shot fizzed just wide of Ethan Ross’ near post.

The Magpies had much of the possession in the opening stages of the game, scarcely letting York have a glance at the ball.

City looked to create something from a Maziar Kouhyar free-kick and although the attacker was able to find Adam Crookes in the box, the former Grimsby Town defender was swiftly dispossessed.

Only moments later, Trialist ‘A’ found himself in space on the wing and was able to play a great cross towards John-Lewis in the box.

The striker got his header on target, but County goalkeeper Sam Slocombe was able to gather the effort.

Rodrigues was once more at the centre of a County attack when, after getting into the York box, he was able to get a low-driven shot off at goal, but it was well saved by Ross.

County continued to keep control of possession when Rodrigues did well to find Langstaff, but County’s number seven saw his shot well blocked by Crookes.

From the resulting corner, Cameron was unable to get his headed effort on target.

The deadlock was broken just shy of the 20 minute mark when Kouogun lost the ball due to high pressure from County after a poor pass from Greaves.

O’Brien was played through on goal and, one-on-one with Ross, slotted his effort into the net.

Cameron looked to charge forward from defence frequently in the first half for Notts County, often covering much of the pitch.

After such a run he found Sam Austin in the box with a through ball, but Austin’s first touch was too heavy and City were awarded a goal-kick.

After winning a throw-in just inside County’s half, the Minstermen found Kouhyar down the right wing.

The attacker did well to find John-Lewis inside the box, who himself was able to lay the ball off to Mitch Hancox, whose shot on goal was blocked by the away side’s defence.

Only minutes later, a long kick forward from Ross bounced its way through the Magpies’ defence until it found James, who did incredibly well on the right wing to win a free-kick.

Kouhyar’s cross was deep and well-hit, however the visitors cleared the danger.

Much of the game’s early intensity from Notts County was lost as the half progressed, with York settling more into the game and making it harder for County to force them into mistakes.

Rodrigues would see an effort late in the first half blocked after surging forward through the midfield.

In the first half’s dying embers, County broke forward once more, with Austin seeing a thunderous strike on goal brilliantly saved by Ross.

The Magpies could perhaps have created another chance from the follow-up were it not for the offside flag. 

Similar to the first half, Notts County would have the opening chance of the second 45 minutes.

O’Brien looked to turn provider, playing through Langstaff who saw his effort denied by Ross.

The goalkeeper, on loan at York from Stockport County, was able to claim the resulting corner.

City got their first corner of the game on the hour mark, and from it had a chance to threaten the County defence.

Kouhyar’s delivery was good and Slocombe was forced to punch it away. After the Magpies failed to clear the danger, the ball came towards James, but the forward was tackled before he could get a shot away.

The second-half was much less intense than the first but with just over 20 minutes to play, County played the ball through towards second-half introduction Cedwyn Scott who, though able to unleash a shot at goal, saw it rattle against the post.

Only moments later, City would have the ball in the final third, with two Hurst crosses being coped with well by the County defence.

York eventually looked to play through Ryan Fallowfield, who was brought on for Michael Duckworth, down the right-wing.

Though the right-back was offside, Kouhyar ran to gather the ball and crossed it towards the box.

It eventually fell for Alex Whittle, whose powerful volley rose just over the crossbar.

York continued to get forward when they could, winning a corner after a poor clearance from Slocombe with about five minutes left of the game.

As Hurst delivered a cross, Dyson went down in the box and despite protests from both him and the crowd, a penalty wasn’t given and County cleared the threat.

Kairo Mitchell had a chance to double his side’s lead in the closing stages of the match, but was denied by another brilliant save from Ross.

After a free-kick for York in the final minute, the ball fell to Scott Boden in the box. His shot on the turn had Slocombe scrambling, but it went just wide of the post.

Mitchell had the ball in the net for County in added time at the end of the half after an Adam Chicksen cross, but the offside flag was raised.

Stats for York City v Notts County:

Shots (on target): 4 (1) | 8 (5)

Fouls committed: 10 | 11

Corners: 3 | 4

Offsides: 2 | 2

Yellow cards: 0 | 0

Referee: Matt Sowerby

Attendance: 1,504 (177 away supporters)

York City’s star man: Ethan Ross. The goalkeeper made numerous impressive saves to keep York in the game. County could have won the game by a far bigger margin were it not for the shot-stopper.