YORK City won their fifth successive home game with a convincing 3-0 triumph against Braintree.

Jon Parkin, Asa Hall and Amari Morgan-Smith were on target, as the Minstermen took another stride towards National League safety.

Relegation rivals Braintree had earlier started the match positively with Michael Cheek curling narrowly wide from a 25-yard free kick.

But it was City who forged in front on 11 minutes when Parkin was deadlier with a set-piece strike from the same distance.

Ushering skipper-for-the-day Sean Newton out of the way, the 35-year-old veteran curled an excellent effort into Iron keeper Sam Beasant’s top-right corner.

The strike settled the hosts and, moments later, Vadaine Oliver sidefooted wide from 15 yards after Hall’s left-wing corner had dropped to Dan Parlow’s feet at the far post.

But the visitors fought back and City survived a scare just past the half-hour mark after Danny Holmes needlessly conceded a free kick.

Reece Hall-Johnson then swung in a delivery from close to the left touchline that Scott Loach could only punch as far as Cheek, whose 15-yard header sailed over the home keeper, but came back off the crossbar.

Jake Goodman went on to head wastefully over a couple of yards out from the rebound.

Loach also had to dive low to his right to push away a curling Chez Isaac free kick and Kris Twardek headed off target at the near post from Hall-Johnson’s subsequent corner.

The Minstermen ended the half strongly, though, with Morgan-Smith heading wide from another Hall corner.

Parkin, meanwhile, ghosted on to a ball into the six-yard box to flick a header over Beasant, but against the bar and, as PA announcer Rob Havercroft announced the number of stoppage-time minutes to play, Gary Mills’ men doubled their lead.

After charging down the right, Morgan-Smith dug out a cross to the far post, where Hall leapt the highest of three City players to head in off the bar.

Following the restart, Holmes volleyed well over from the edge of the box after a patient passing move and Oliver stabbed over from Alex Whittle’s left-wing cross.

For Braintree, Jack Midson’s speculative 25-yard effort was safely caught by Loach and sub Joe Maybanks fired over from the same range.

Oliver, meanwhile, charged through the right channel twice, but found Beasant with his first chance and dragged the second opportunity across the face of goal.

Midfielder Hall fizzed an edge-of-the-box effort just over following another good period of possession, before City deservedly added a third on 76 minutes when Parkin managed to guide the ball towards Morgan-Smith and he found Beasant’s bottom-right corner with a clinical 15-yard finish.

Whittle went on to drive narrowly wide after bursting through the left channel.

As City dominated, Oliver then when close to a fourth goal when he took a Newton cross on his chest and shot just off target.

Goodman also hooked over the chance for a consolation from eight yards, before Parkin thumped wide on the turn before being substituted to a standing ovation in the 90th minute.