Eccleshill 0 City 3

TWO youngsters hoping to make a name for themselves at City took the chance to stake their claim last night.

Second-half goals from Tyrell Robinson and a Dan Pybus double settled an entertaining tussle at the Mitton Group Stadium.

Just 24 hours after Guiseley, there was another decent-sized crowd to see the other half of Stuart McCall's squad – an audience that included James Hanson, taking the chance to watch two of his old clubs after a recent trip to Malaga with Sheffield United.

The Northern Counties East League hosts were thrilled to see the fixture beefed up by the presence of a few first-teamers in the City ranks.

But there were not as many as had been planned, with the Bantams missing Tim Dieng and Romain Vincelot.

Still, the likes of Alex Jones, Shay McCartan, Alex Gilliead and Matt Kilgallon all got a run out on another good surface.

Gilliead brought a slow start to life with a rasping low drive which keeper Dominic Smith just about clung on to under his body.

The Eccleshill stopper was a confident figure in the early exchanges and pulled off another good save to keep out a blast from Pybus.

But City were almost embarrassed when Marcus Edwards used his pace to elude Lachlan Barr's lunge in the box. The Eccleshill striker squared the ball expectantly across the six-yard box but nobody in a red-and-white shirt was able to finish.

Jonny Irving gave Rouven Sattelmaier his first test after cutting inside to shoot but it was straight at the German.

City's central midfield pairing of Pybus and Callum Gunner kept looking to drive the team forward and neither were afraid to have a shot. Gunner was the next to be frustrated by Smith's reflexes as his 20-yarder was turned over the bar.

Smith continued to enjoy himself and added Alex Jones to his growing list of scalps. The striker was sent clear on goal but Smith stood strong and threw himself into the challenge to get something on the shot and divert it wide of the post.

Eccleshill midfielder Charlie Flaherty responded with a dipping long-range volley that rattled the fence wide of Sattelmaier's net.

Ellis Hudson was brought down right on the edge of the home box. Most thought referee Michael Brownsett had pointed to the spot but he gave it on the line – and McCartan could not keep the free-kick down.

McCartan and Jones had further efforts before Pybus was caught by an agricultural lunge from centre half Matt Mathers. The referee waved play on as Jones fired across goal before any bad feeling was quickly defused with a handshake.

Thankfully there was no danger of a repeat of the Luke Dean incident that marred a previous City visit during Peter Taylor's time.

Smith's impressive match continued at the start of the second half as he kept out a Jones effort that was heading for the top corner.

Hudson looped a cross into the middle but left winger Robinson's header flashed past the post.

But Eccleshill started to come into the game more and could have pinched the lead on 58 minutes. Pownall's angled cross picked out the other fullback, Scott Manning, who got above Kilgallon to nod across goal and not far wide.

The home side's growing confidence was evident as substitute Chris Lever and Edwards both forced Sattelmaier into diving saves.

Eccleshill had looked the brighter team since the break up to that point – but it was City who then broke the deadlock.

It was a cracking finish as well as Robinson showed quick feet to find enough room to drill low and hard across Smith, ending the keeper's resistance.

McCall withdrew Jones and McCartan at that point, as well as the enthusiastic Gunner, as City nearly followed up with another goal, Hudson firing wide after good work in the box from Kilgallon.

But a second did arrive swiftly as Pybus got his reward for another decent night's work, slotting in from eight yards after being teed up by Jordan Gibson.

Teenage trialist Gibson, who was most recently in the under-20s at Rangers,  then rattled the bar in a lively cameo and Gilliead went close from distance as Eccleshill began to flag.

There was still time for a late third goal as Pybus rounded off a slick move with his own second.

City: Sattelmaier, Hanson, Barr, Kilgallon, Robinson, Gilliead, Gunner (Gibson 69), Pybus, Hudson, Jones (Peters 69), McCartan (Powell 69). Sub (not used): Sykes-Kenworthy.

Eccleshill: Smith, Pownall, Mathers, Bradley, Manning, Hardy, Flaherty, Cooper, Harrop, Irving, Edwards.