An attacking trio of Manny Duku, Lenell John-Lewis and Nathan Thomas chipped in with goals to help York City cruise past Blyth Spartans in the Third Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.

Duku opened the scoring with a downward header at the far post after 33 minutes, the only goal in a evenly-matched half.

The second half saw City come out a different side though, as John-Lewis went into double figures for the season, heading home just eight minutes from the restart.

Barely another 60 seconds had passed when Thomas got on the scoresheet, smashing home from a tight angle via a deflection.

The job still wasn't done there for the Minstermen, who inflicted further pain upon the Spartans, adding a couple more to their tally within the last half hour, courtesy of Duku and Thomas once more.

  • Story of the match

In temporary charge, York assistant manager Michael Morton made six changes to the side that ousted Woking in the National League, including a first start for goalkeeper Ryan Whitley.

Adam Crookes and Paddy McLaughlin also returned to the team, while Nathan Thomas was named in the starting eleven for the first time.

Blyth boss Graham Fenton fielded a team with five changes made since defeat at Chester on 2nd December. A vast list of injuries wasn't in Spartans' favour, as they started 17-year-old Rio Joisce, and only managed to name three substitutes.

Isaac Walker and Josh Gillies made returned to the eleven too.

The hosts had come into this game with a 100% win record in their last five against their opponents. From the first whistle, they showed their intent, and it almost paid off after six minutes, when Thomas came so close, his strike from 20 yards tipped onto the bar by a stretching Alex Mitchell.

Spartans soon began to grow into the game and find a couple of goalscoring opportunities on two occasions within the first 20 minutes. A clever corner pinged to the edge of the box was blasted just over the crossbar by Gillies, before a low effort from Matty Cornish forced Whitley to palm wide.

In the desperate aim to grab an opener, the half-volley was tried on by City right-back Michael Duckworth, but his hopeful shot was well wide. Moments later, Blyth continued to turn up the heat, as forward Cedric Main sprung a shot on the turn, narrowly missing out on the target.

Next up to try his luck was York's Olly Dyson - after winning the ball back midway into the opponent's half on 21 minutes, he drove forward an unleashed a driven shot, merely inches away from sneaking in at the far post.

Four minutes later, yet another chance evolved for York, as Lenell John-Lewis played it through to Scott Burgess, the hosts continuing to press for a goal. The midfielder tried to squeeze it in from a tight angle, but Mitchell was there to block, and prevent the forthcoming danger.

Just past the half-hour mark, a good move starting right from the backline began to look dangerous from the Minstermen, working it up the pitch.

The ball was soon played across to Duckworth on the right wing, who whipped in a delicious delivery to the back post, finding the in-form forward Manny Duku to leap highest and head home to give the National League side the advantage.

Duckworth was evidently looking for more than just an assist, roaming in plenty of space on the right of goal. However, when the ball was pinged across, he couldn't direct his volley on target, watching it fly back across the face of goal.

Burgess had an effort go wide just before the break, but ultimately, it was Duku's header that had the Minstermen a goal up at half-time.

A change at the break for York saw Mitch Hancox replace Maxim Kouogun, a substitution looking to bring energy to the field, and a reverted formation.

It sent City in the right stride to start the second half, where Duku really should have doubled his tally and made it two - the Dutchman took it around the 'keeper, who was well out of his box, but somehow couldn't capitalize on the glaring chance, as a defender managed to track back and stop the ball from going in.

However, York did make a chance count eight minutes after the restart, with John-Lewis' glancing header evading a diving Mitchell and into the bottom corner, doubling the lead from a Hancox cross.

The second goal should have been enough of a warning sign for Blyth, but it only encouraged the home side to go get another one.

Less than two minutes later, Thomas picked up the ball just outside the box on the right of goal, and drove forward to the byline with it before smashing home from the tightest of angles, helped on by a deflection.

It was game over for the visitors after an hour played, but they still gave it a real good go, as Whitley was forced into another good stop, parrying clear Gillies' curling effort.

Not content with his first goal, Thomas added a second on his first start for the club. Latching onto a lovely pass from Duckworth on the right, he cut inside and beat his man for pace, then slotted past the 'keeper for a composed finish, putting the Yorkshire outfit well out of sight.

Still, the scoring wasn't complete with nine minutes to play, and the man with a brace achieved another goal involvement in the fifth of the evening. His corner was headed back across goal by Crookes, perfectly set up for Duku to head home.

A 5-0 win for York sends them into the Christmas period happy and ready to host Gateshead on Boxing Day, while Blyth must find a result at home to Spennymoor to climb the National League North.

  • Player of the match

Manny Duku (York City)