Stockport County’s leading scorer Matty Warburton went home from Edgeley Park with a second successive match ball after his hat-trick saw off York City and lifted County into second in the National League North after a fifth successive league win.
County took to the field showing one change from the starting line-up in the FA Trophy tie with Truro City seven days earlier.
Paul Turnbull was rested as a precaution, due to his minor hip injury, and was replaced within a 4-2-3-1 formation by Sam Walker – while Ash Palmer took the captain’s armband in Turnbull’s absence.
Warburton opened the scoring after just three minutes when County’s first corner of the day was delivered from the left by Adam Thomas towards the back post to Warburton who volleyed in.
County’s advantage and Warburton’s tally were both doubled just before the first half’s midway point.
Following a throw-in on the right, Sam Minihan’s cross found Frank Mulhern, who played the ball back and Warburton rifled home with the aid of a deflection.
The ever-industrious Mulhern also saw two low shots smothered by Bartlett ahead of the break.
The Minstermen sounded a declaration of rather better attacking promise upon the resumption, as Jake Wright fired into the left side-netting, and Burrow flicked a header at Hinchliffe, before ex-Hatter Sean Newton’s deflected free-kick from the County ‘D’ fizzed narrowly over.
With 17 minutes remaining, York halved the arrears when Kempster svolleyed in at close range from David Ferguson’s cross from the left.
The Hatters had gone six games in all competitions, and over 10 hours, since conceding – although responded in the best possible way by restoring their two-goal lead from the kick-off.
Thomas’ pass was mis-hit by Hamza Bencherif and into the path of Warburton, who made no mistake from 18 yards out for his hat-trick and his 21st goal of the campaign.
County’s defence was further bolstered for the closing stages by the introduction of Dan Cowan – but what remaining chances there were fell to the Hatters, with Thomas’ shot taking a deflection off Newton and into the arms of Bartlett, before Nyal Bell came close when he headed beyond the far post.
