Salisbury City 2 York City 6: Mills still dreaming of leading Minstermen to new Wembley final

YORK City manager Gary Mills praised his side’s “ruthless” streak after despatching Salisbury.

Goals from Matty Blair (2), Paddy McLaughlin (2), Jamie Reed and Matthew Blinkhorn saw the Minstermen cruise into the last 16 of the tournament despite Jake Reid replying twice for the home team.

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The result leaves York just three ties away from reaching Wembley again in a competition that saw them lose 2-0 to Stevenage in the 2009 final.

Mills said: “I’ve stated from the start of the competition that I want to take this team to Wembley and our performance against Salisbury was excellent.

“When you are 4-0 up early on, as we were, you have to show what a good team you are and stay ruthless and, other than a couple of sloppy moments, we did that.”

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The visitors forged ahead on 19 minutes when Blair forced the ball home after Reed had headed down Chris Smith’s cross.

Two minutes later, Blair doubled the lead, finding goalkeeper Simon Arthur’s bottom right-hand corner from 12 yards after Danny Pilkington’s route to goal was blocked.

The third goal arrived on 26 minutes when Reed curled an excellent shot over Arthur following good work by McLaughlin, who then made it 4-0 when he fired in a free-kick off the upright.

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Reid pulled a goal back for Salisbury on 36 minutes when he capitalised on Dan Parslow’s mistake and deftly lifted the ball over goalkeeper Michael Ingham.

York made it 5-1 on 70 minutes when Blinkhorn scored from four yards for his new club following a midweek move from Sligo Rovers.

On 81 minutes, Reid struck from the penalty spot after substitute Moses Ashikodi had tripped Daniel Fitchett but McLaughlin had the final say, firing past Arthur from 15 yards after collecting a pass from Adriano Moke.

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Salisbury City: Arthur, Ruddick (Casey 76), Webb, Dutton, Brett, Lossano (Kelly 63), Anderson, Clarke, Adelsbury, Fitchett, Reid. Unused substitutes: Cooper, Harris.

York City: Ingham, Challinor, Parslow, Smith, Meredith, Kerr, Brown, McLaughlin, Blair (Moke 77), Reed (Blinkhorn 66), Pilkington (Ashikodi 77). Unused substitutes: Boucaud, Fyfield.

Referee: S Brett (Walsall).

Man of the match: Paddy McLaughlin.