Leon Constantine scored on his debut to help York City to a morale-boosting victory against last season’s play-off semi-finalists Rushden & Diamonds at Bootham Crescent.
Recalled winger Peter Till had already opened the home account with his second goal for the club on 76 minutes before new signing Constantine marked his arrival with another just two minutes later.
The Minstermen had earlier survived the loss of centre-back Djoumin Sangare through injury after he had returned at the expense of summer recruit Greg Young.
However, his side had already opened brightly with Till a regular danger down the left against stand-in right-back Max Porter, but clear chances were proving at a premium for either team.
Lewwis Spence dipped a long-range effort over on ten minutes at the opposite end and Ryan Charles also headed over a Rene Howe cross under challenge from Danny Parslow.
The Welsh non-league international skipper was then forced into a change of role just after the half-hour when Sangare needed stitches to a head wound and was replaced by Duane Courtney, who took over his usual right-back position.
Michael Rankine in turn supplied a couple of dangerous crosses for the hosts against his former club – and from the second of those Diamonds keeper Dale Roberts only just collected Michael Gash’s knock back ahead of the challenging Jonathan Smith.
Gash also headed a Till cross wide – this time from the right – before York keeper Michael Ingham had to snatch at the feet of Howe after the on loan Peterborough United striker had bustled past David McGurk.
The first-half then ended with Rankine’s poor touch allowing a covering challenge from Curtis Osano after a long ball forward from Alex Lawless had released the ex-Rushden striker.
Rankine also had a couple of decent opportunities at the start of the second period, firstly heading a Till corner wide and then volleying over from inside the area following another Till delivery.
York defender McGurk was forced to head over his own crossbar after a Kurt Robinson cross in reply before a flowing home break ended with Gash miskicking after Neil Barrett had neatly laid off a Till cross.
Sixty seconds later Gash headed into the keeper’s arms from a Rankine ball in before being withdrawn in favour of former Leeds United striker Constantine just past the hour.
The Minstermen suddenly began to move with more purpose and fluency and finally earned reward with fourteen minutes remaining when Till latched onto a Constantine flick on and slotted under keeper Roberts and into the bottom left-hand corner.
Moments later the hosts doubled their lead with Lawless’ free-kick being forced in from close-range by Constantine with the aid of a deflection against the far post.
York City: Ingham, Parslow, McGurk, Sangare (Courtney 31), Meredith, Smith, Lawless, Barrett, Till, Rankine, Gash (Constantine 63)
subs (unused): Knight, Young, McDermott
Goals: Till (76), Constantine (78)
Rushden & Diamonds: Roberts, Porter, Stuart, Osano, Robinson (Koranteng 82), Power, Johnson (O’Connor 78), Spence, Green (Jamie Day 71), Howe, Charles
subs (unused): Joe Day, Keehan
Ref: B. Khatib (Sunderland)
Att: 2,306 (138 Rushden & Diamonds)
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