Scott Lindsey on finding York City goals without Josh Stones, a morale-boosting win and transfer plans

Harry Boyes scored twice on his debut for the Minstermen – already doubling last season's tally at Southend United - and Alex Newby showed how effective he can be as a first-half substitute by netting the other in a 3-2 win over Bristol Rovers.

"It was important that we got the fans onside and by playing well and starting well," said Lindsey, who was on the wrong end of some abuse after starting the season with a League Cup preliminary round defeat to Crawley Town.

"Sometimes you can win a game inside 25 minutes by the way you play in the first opening encounters. And it usually kind of carries on its way through, which I felt it did today.

"We came a little bit deep at times in that second half and they asked a lot of questions of us, but I felt we dealt with it well. Your resilience, you must be delighted with that.

"I think like most games where I've won on the first day of the season, we've gone on and had a good season normally.

"It's a massive boost. I think last year out of the four teams that got promoted from this division, there was only one team that actually won on day one.

"So it's big that we got that, especially against a good side in Bristol Rovers."

York outplayed the visitors in the first half, only to go behind to a goal by Clinton Mola.

But the game turned on Lindsey's decision shortly before the break to bring Alex Newby on for striker Dipo Akinyemi.

Newby scored the equaliser before Harry Boyes netted twice either side of a Tommy Leigh penalty his push conceded.

change just before half-time.

"Dipo got a slight knock in training on Thursday and we had to modify training yesterday for him," revealed Lindsey. "So the whole group actually didn't do as much as I wanted them to do based on Dipo struggling.

"I just asked him just to try and give us as much as he could.

"I think it was clear that he was struggling on a few times when the ball went through and he couldn't quite make it. And I just thought, look, he's given us 40 minutes, let's try and make the change now. And I think it was the right thing to do.

"Newby come on was outstanding and Pearcey looked assured when he went up as a striker.

"I've been really impressed with Alex Newby. He's got goals in him and I know I can call upon him. And there's bits that I think he can improve on in terms of his game and in terms of his running, which we've spoke about and he understands that.

"He's going to be a big player for us, definitely. I appreciate it's very early."

Left wing-back Boyes' eye for goal stood out on his York debut.

"We felt when we watched him that he gets into really good areas and maybe he should have scored more for Southend last season," said Lindsey. "He gets into really good areas.

"He's got an unbelievable left foot, he can put crosses in. We worked a lot on getting him higher up the pitch and in their defensive line a few times in training and it worked really well today.

"He's been fantastic for us, which is why we brought him to the football club."

Pearce and Stones scored 53 goals between them as York won last season's Conference, but the latter has missed the start of 2026-27 through injury, which could force the Minstermen into the transfer market before the September 1 deadline.

"Myself and Matt (Uggla, the club's co-owner) have spoken about this and we're kind of like thinking it and chewing it over a little bit," commented Lindsey. "Because Josh Stones is obviously still missing and probably will be for a number of weeks yet.

"So maybe we have to think about that."

The game was York's first in the Football League since relegation in 2016.