ADAM HINSHELWOOD assessed York City’s progress early into the Vanarama National League season, with the Minstermen in third position after 13 matches.

York have dropped to just one defeat all season, with the least amount of wins compared to any other team in the fifth tier, having succumbed to five draws and seven victories so far.

Only Barnet and Forest Green Rovers are currently ahead of City in the National League standings, with York establishing themselves as early promotion contenders in the 2024/25 season.

However, Hinshelwood has reiterated that he will not be getting carried away with City’s achievement so far, and will focus on ensuring that York can remain in the promotion conversation.

“It’s just our standards really, nothing has really changed, it is just my standards,” Hinshelwood admitted.

“I always aspire for the best performance that we can possibly give, and believe that if we’re performing anywhere near to what we can do, then we will be a good test for teams this season.

“We’re not going to get carried away, at this stage we are talking about anything other than finishing better than we did last year.

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“At the same time, we know that if we can get near on performance levels that we have reached already this season, then that will give us the opportunity to be competing at the top end of the table.

“We’ve enjoyed being there for this first part of the season, and we want to do all that we can to stay there.

“Whether we have enough or not, I don’t know, but it’s down to us to reach those performance levels to be up there.”

With no outright runaway leader as of yet this season, the National League remains appears to be a much more competitive and close division than it has in recent years.

Wrexham, Notts County, Chesterfield and Stockport County have stormed the fifth tier in recent years, with no team yet replicating that level of form as of yet.

Hinshelwood discussed early promotion rivals for York, and admitted that he believes that the top of the National League is closer than the bottom compared to recent years.

The boss commented: “Barnet and Forest Green will beg to differ on that, they are some very big clubs and good teams.

“Forest Green have gone and invested in some strikers in the early part of the season, they will be looking to bounce straight back.

“There are some good teams, but maybe this year the standard between the top and the bottom will be very similar.

“We’ve found that out already, we’ve not really blown a team away, we have only won by the odd goal.

“There have been games that have been tight, and keeping a clean sheet has been important for us.”