WINGER Jamie Hopcutt hit a hat-trick for the second consecutive match as free-scoring York City juniors went top of the Football League Alliance’s North East Conference table, writes Nick Thompson.

Dominic Brown was also on target during a 4-2 home victory over Rotherham United, which means Steve Torpey’s teenagers have now won their last three games and netted 16 times in the process, lifting them above the likes of Hull City, Doncaster and Scunthorpe.

A slow start against the Merry Millers, though, meant goalkeeper James Field need to make a fine save before City settled and broke the deadlock from their first attack.

Michael Duckworth had time and space to switch the ball to the left-sided Hopcutt, who cut in from the flank and fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner.

Shortly afterwards, Hopcutt’s second goal was the kind of quality strike that would have made Holland legend Marco Van Basten proud. Duckworth was again the provider, whipping in an excellent cross that Hopcutt volleyed in first time.

Rotherham got back into the game when Dean Lisles’ miscued clearance beat Field. The centre-back, who had carried an injury going into the game, was then unable to continue and the Minstermites also lost midfielder Nick Thompson shortly before the break.

City, however, went into the interval 3-1 up when Brown showed great bravery to slide the ball under the ’keeper after a fine Tom Richardson pass.

A goalline clearance by Ryan Qualter maintained the hosts’ two-goal advantage only for Rotherham to claw one back from the edge of the box after the ball was not cleared effectively.

Having withstood heavy pressure, City edged further ahead when Brown was fouled and Hopcutt calmly converted from the spot for his third of the game.

Rotherham had a man sent off to make the last ten minutes a little more comfortable for the hosts, whose work-rate and determination was epitomised throughout by Qualter and Richardson.

The pair both lost their playing partners to injury but adjusted well to battle through the game.

• MICHAEL Duckworth became York City juniors’ latest hat-trick hero during a 5-1 victory at Guisborough Town in the FA Youth Cup. The Minstermites, who also had Dominic Brown and Adam Scorfield on the scoresheet, will now travel to Chester-le-Street in the second round qualifying on the week commencing October 5.