Kettering 1, York City 5

City ran riot during a breathtaking first half to take a 4-1 lead into the interval and then followed up with a professional second period to secure maximum points as substitute Danny Pilkington completed the rout in stoppage time on his debut.

Former Kettering midfielder Andre Boucaud had earlier set the ball rolling with his first-ever Conference goal on 20 minutes and a Jason Walker brace made it 3-0 by the half-hour mark.

Adriano Moké then got his name on the scoresheet before the hosts pulled a goal back through Leon McKenzie on the stroke of half-time.

City’s victory came in the absence of Matty Blair, who was ruled out with a calf injury.

As a result, midfielder Scott Kerr was handed his first start of the season and Moké was pushed forward on to the left flank of the visitors’ three-pronged strikeforce.

Kettering included new recruit and former Premier League left-back Jamie Clapham in their starting XI and one-time Real Madrid defender Jaime Navarro.

The Minstermen issued an immediate signal of their intent when captain Chris Smith headed wide from an Ashley Chambers cross after 40 seconds.

An edge-of-the-box Moké shot also drifted wide in the fifth minute and Walker went close with an acrobatic overhead attempt moments later.

Kettering, though, might have forged ahead on nine minutes when Patrick McLaughlin cleared off the line from an unmarked Patrick Noubissie’s header following Marcus Kelly’s corner.

David McGurk then blocked Jerel Ifil’s fierce follow up effort.

Poppies midfielder Aman Verma also headed wide from a Clapham cross and City survived a 19th-minute scare when McKenzie netted after a Phil Ifil free-kick, but referee Mike Bull spotted a foul on Ingham.

Seconds later, City took the lead after Lanre Oyebanjo released Walker through the right channel.

The former Luton forward’s clever reverse pass then found Boucaud, who sidefooted under home ’keeper Lawrie Walker’s body from eight yards.

Less than a minute later, the visitors doubled their advantage when Moké raided down the left and delivered a fine cross to the far post where Walker directed a downward volley past his namesake.

At the other end, McKenzie headed inches wide from Kelly’s cross but Walker added a third on the half-hour mark, taking one touch after Smith had headed on an Oyebanjo long throw before beating the Kettering ’keeper again with a low seven-yard shot inside his left-hand post.

The Minstermen made it 4-0 on 39 minutes when Chambers exchanged passes with Walker before tearing down the right flank and delivering a low cross that was turned into the net by Moké from six yards.

An overwhelmed Kettering, who also deserved a goal for their first-half endeavours, pulled one back four minutes later when Moses Ashikodi ghosted past McGurk down the right channel and McKenzie diverted his low cross past Ingham at the near post from close range.

The flow of the game at the start of the second half was disrupted by a flurry of early substitutions, but City found their stride after home midfielder Jon Challinor had forced Ingham into a 57th-minute near post.

Moké drilled a terrific 15-yard shot against Walker’s left-hand upright shortly afterwards with the Poppies’ ’keeper then saving Chambers’ shot from the rebound.

Skipper Smith also sidefooted straight at Walker from ten yards after a cross from Chambers, whose pace once more took him clear of the home defence in injury time before he pulled the ball back for Pilkington to sidefoot in from close to the penalty spot.

Kettering 1, York city 5 (Boucaud 20; Walker 21, 30; Moké 39; Pilkington 90+4)

York City:Michael Ingham 8, Lanre Oyebanjo 8, David McGurk 8, Chris Smith 8, James Meredith 8, Andre Boucaud 8, Andre Boucaud 8, Patrick McLaughlin 8, Adriano Moké 9, Jason Walker 9, Ashley Chambers 9.

Substitutions: Jamie Reed 8 (for McLaughlin, 54), Jamal Fyfield (for Moké, 79), Danny Pilkington (for Walker, 89). Not used: Daniel Parslow, Michael Potts.

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire.

City’s star man: Walker – scored two and helped create another two in a fantastic first half display.

Kettering: Lawrie Walker, Phil Ifil, Jerel Ifil, Jaime Navarro, Jamie Clapham, Aman Verma, Patrick Noubissie (Jon Challinor, 46), Jean-Paul Marna, Marcus Kelly (Jake Thomson, 46), Moses Ashikodi, Leon McKenzie (George Taft, 52). Subs (not used): Aldi Haxhia, Sol Davis.

Booked: Kerr 17, Navarro 90.

Sent off: None.

Referee: Mike Bull (Essex).

Attendance: 1,595.