ROY of the Rovers writers would have been sacked for penning such a far-fetched script as that which unravelled at Haig Avenue last night.

Debutant hat-trick heroes might be common place at Melchester but, away from comic book tales, few strikers have achieved the feat as a professional footballer.

Alan Shearer did manage a treble on his first senior match as a 17-year-old for Southampton but then he did prove to be a bit special.

City summer recruit Joe O'Neill, meanwhile, turned up at KitKat Crescent having been released by Preston North End after finishing last season with a red card during his loan spell at Chester City.

The subsequent suspension meant O'Neill was forced to delay the start of his Minstermen career but few waits can have been more worthwhile.

O'Neill struck first on three minutes with his second competitive touch in a City shirt and doubled his tally with another header to give the visitors a decisive 3-1 lead before the break with the best goal of the match.

The 22-year-old forward then claimed the match ball eight minutes from time, capitalising on confusion in the home defence to round goalkeeper Steve Dickinson and then poke the ball into an unguarded net ahead of Clayton Donaldson, who almost had the temerity to steal it off his toe end.

Had Donaldson got the final touch, however, it would have been reward for a hard-working and, at times, electrifying performance, as he played an excellent supporting role for star man O'Neill.

Loan addition Darren Manseram also worked selflessly for the team on the left flank, setting up Mark Convery's second goal for City, but his night ended prematurely when an indisciplined 54th-minute shove on right-back Chris Lane resulted in a yellow card and his immediate replacement by Andy Bishop, who went on to provide the cross for O'Neill's hat-trick strike.

City boss Billy McEwan, while delighted with the result and many aspects of the display, was, however, right not to gloss over certain areas that might need attention against superior opponents than last season's Conference North champions.

Southport were considerably weaker defensively than Crawley Town were on Saturday but more adventurous and City goalkeeper Chris Porter and his back four all made misjudgements or endured nervous moments.

City did get punished three minutes after O'Neill had nodded the visitors in front from two yards following David McGurk's header across the face of goal from a Darren Dunning free kick.

A long punt from Dickinson caught McGurk flat-footed and, when the ball skimmed off his head, Steve Daly skipped far too easily past Jamie Price and fired a low shot past Porter.

But City forged back in front on 19 minutes when Mansaram's low cross was met by Convery, who found the bottom corner from 12 yards.

Left-winger Kevin Leadbetter then twice tormented Price before firing wide before the visitors broke again and netted an excellent third goal from their third attack.

Donaldson was the architect with a blistering 40-yard sprint down the right flank and an inch-perfect cross that was headed powerfully into the roof of the net by O'Neill.

City's clinical finishing proved the difference in a very open first half and Mansaram was unlucky not to add a fourth when his firm 15-yard shot was turned over by Dickinson, who also made a near-post save from O'Neill just before the interval.

The visitors ironed out their defensive frailties in the second half with McGurk assuming control although Porter was fortunate not to concede after a weak punch.

City's fourth goal arrived when Bishop raided down the right flank before supplying a low cross that was horribly sliced by Earl Davis, whose error was chaotically compounded by a poor attempted header back to Dickinson by Chris Lane.

O'Neill intercepted, rounded the home 'keeper and just managed to tap in before Donaldson's attempt to muscle on to the scoreheet.

Donaldson was perhaps too unselfish in stoppage time when he crossed after another lung-busting charge into the box. This time, the danger was cleared by the exhausted part-timers.

Match facts

Southport 1, (Daly 6) York City 4 (O'Neill 3, 37, 81, Convery 19)

City ratings

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

Porter 6

Price 6

McGurk 7

Hotte 6

Peat 6 (booked)

Panther 7

Covery 7 (Merris 89)

Dunning 7

Donaldson 8

O'Neill 9 (Stewart 84)

Mansaram 7 (booked) - (Bishop 54, 7)

Subs (not used): Mallon, Afandiyev

Star man: O'Neill - hat-trick hero who grew in confidence after early goal and looked techincally good all night.

Southport: Dickinson, Lane, Kilbane, Davis, Fitzgerald, Baker (Booth, 73), Krief (Lynch HT), Pickford, Leadbetter (McGinn, 70), Daly, Fearns. Subs: Speare, Robinson, Booth.

Player watch: Darren Dunning

Shots on target: 0

Shots off target: 1

Passes to own player: 15

Passes to opposition: 5

Crosses to own player: 1

Crosses to opposition: 1

Pass success rate: 72.7 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 3 Dribbles ball lost: 0

Dribble success rate: 100 per cent

Fouls won: 5 Fouls conceded: 4 Headers: 6 Tackles: 5

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 2

Bookings: 0

Final summary: Darren Dunning enjoyed a hard-working performance as City's inside-left midfielder. He was combative as the five fouls that were committed on him and the four that he conceded prove. He also supplied an inviting free kick for City's early first goal.

Updated: 11:59 Wednesday, August 17, 2005