JORDAN BURROW scored twice from the spot see York City to their fourth consecutive win of pre-season, winning 2-0 at South Shields.

Fellow forward Dan Maguire was instrumental, winning both penalties following tenacious attacking play.

Shields were no pushovers, though, and made life tricky for City when in possession and - but for the penalties - there was not much to separate the sides.

As has been the case throughout pre-season, York could have scored a few more, though this might have been a bit harsh on Shields as they were competitive throughout, with control of the game never resting in one set of hands, and came on strongly at the end.

Mariners manager Lee Picton started summer signings Robinson Wokoma and Adam Thurston but elected to leave former Southport striker Jason Gilchrist on the bench.

The first chance of the game fell to City. After rounding Shields’ triallist right-back, David Ferguson was brought down, with Tom Allan heading over the subsequent Kallum Griffiths free kick.

Shields were determined to play everything along the ground and it nearly paid off inside the opening 10 minutes as David Foley – who was frequently the recipient of pin-point pinged passes from Gary Brown – was played through and curled just inches wide.

In-form Alex Kempster had the first shot on target a few minutes on but his left-footed shot, with the ball coming across his body, was easily gathered by keeper Liam Connell.

It is easy to see why South Shields were so nearly promoted from Step 3 last season; they look like a side that prides philosophy over pragmatism and their patience on the ball belies their lower-league status.

And another front-to-back-to-front passing move yielded a free kick which Nathan Lowe sent well over.

City were happy to respond with good ball work of their own while a high press brought the first goal of the game, Jordan Burrow sending Connell the wrong way from the spot.

Maguire won the penalty from a Brown trip following neat interplay between Adriano Moke – who first won the ball back – and the lively Kieran Green, who continues to grow into his forward midfield role in this side.

The chances died down following the penalty though the game remained a pretty open footballing spectacle. Moke enjoyed a good amount of time on the ball while Lowe and Foley both relished in opportunities to showcase some nifty close control.

Just over five minutes before the break, Foley hit the inside bottom of the left-hand upright with Jameson beaten, played through by a ball slightly deflected off Moke.

York probably should have been two up a couple of minutes on as Kempster dispossessed a Shields man on the edge of the area. With Y-Fronts well outnumbering the claret and blue, his pass was just too much for an unmarked Burrow to reach in the centre of the area.

As the last meaningful action of the half, Green picked up a yellow card, taking down his man from behind after the breakdown of a poor City free kick.

Burrow came agonisingly close to his second shortly after the restart but could not quite get to Ferguson’s left-wing delivery.

Ferguson came very close with an effort that flashed across the face of goal, taking a touch on its way out for City’s first corner.

Burrow’s second did arrive 10 minutes into the second period courtesy of another penalty, again won by Maguire, who was – this time, quite convincingly – brought down by Connell. The number nine buried his effort in the opposite bottom corner to the first.

By the hour, Burrow could have had his hat-trick, this time denied by a good Connell save to his left after the striker was played in unselfishly by Maguire.

This was another in a series of City efforts that also saw Kieran Green drag wide and, following his 60th-minute introduction, Macauley Langstaff have a cross cut out by Connell.

At the other end, Lowe teed himself up nicely for a shot that went over via a deflection while a challenge on Luke Daly had home fans calling for a penalty.

Shields' second-half changes had a real impact on the game, Shields Academy graduate Callum Guy very lively and forcing Jameson into a save after good work by former Bury youngster Millenic Alli, who went close with a powerful volley from inside the area.

South Shields: Connell (Coombe 72), Triallist (Lockey 65), Adams (Charlton 69), Brown, Wokoma (Thompson 65), Turnbull (Briggs HT), Gillies (Alli), Lowe (Guy 69), Mason (Daly HT), Thurston (Gilchrist HT), Foley. Subs: Coombe, Charlton, Lockey, Thompson, Briggs, Daly, Guy, Gilchrist, Alli.

York: Jameson, Griffiths (Dyer), Triallist 'A' (Jebson-King), Tait, Allan, Ferguson, Moke (Harrison), Green (Trialist 'C'), Kempster (Trialist 'B'), Maguire (Langstaff), Burrow (Ventura).

Attendance: 861