YORK City are the current leaders of the National League after recording their best-ever start to the season - but how have the Minstermen reached the summit?

After only confirming survival in the fifth tier on the final day of last season, York have gone from strength to strength under Adam Hinshelwood, who, alongside his management team, has transformed the atmosphere surrounding the football club.

Having suffered just three league defeats all season with 21 matches played, and a break from their National League campaign this weekend for an Isuzu FA Trophy third round match with Darlington, the Press has a look at how City have emerged as the current frontrunners.

Attack is the best form of defence

After arriving into North Yorkshire in March, Hinshelwood arrived with a reputation of high-scoring matches.

Supporters are now starting to see the rewards of his free-flowing style of play, with York registering 22 goals in their last five home matches, and ten in their last two.

On average, the Minstermen manage 12.8 shots per match, the second most in the National League only behind Gateshead.

As a result of this, mixed with the talents of being clinical in front of goal, no other team has scored more goals so far this season.

This is most likely helped by an average of 5.3 corners per match, the sixth most in the division, and 5 accurate crosses per match, the seventh highest in the league.

Patient passing play

It’s been pretty clear to York supporters how Hinshelwood wants to play, especially as it was a deciding factor in his appointment due to the co-chairman Matt Uggla’s hope for slick football.

With his patient possession style of football, York have averaged an incredible 472 accurate passes per match, the second most in the league only behind Gateshead, who have built a reputation for their passing style.

In comparison, Maidenhead United, who City played last Saturday, average just 189 passes per match.

Even more surprisingly, especially when you consider the trademark long diagonal switches of Dan Batty and Malachi Fagan-Walcott, just 28.9 per cent of those average passes are long balls from the Minstermen.

And just like their passing statistics, York are only behind Gateshead in the league for average possession in a match, which comes at 64.6 per cent.

No way through

For any team to be successful, it all has to start at the back.

Whilst Hinshelwood does bring plenty of goals, quick passing and the odd eight-goal thriller, he also prides himself on the defensive foundations at the back.

That’s why no other team in the league has kept more clean sheets than City so far, with ten.

Only Rochdale have a fouling average less than York in the division, with the Minstermen committing 9.4 illegal challenges per match, which could be a direct reason for their impressive discipline.

York have received just 33 yellow cards all season, and no red cards, the third least in the league.

This could link into City’s high possession stats, as it’s hard to foul if you have the ball, whilst only Forest Green Rovers, Oldham Athletic and Rochdale have conceded less.

Individual talent

It’s now a well-known fact that York have built a togetherness that Hinshelwood is very proud of, with players and staff alike talking of the feelgood atmosphere around the LNER Community Stadium.

But with that togetherness and trust in one another, there has also been a lot of individual skill on show so far this season.

Ollie Pearce is the obvious candidate, as the current National League golden boot leader, with 14 goals. He currently has two more goals than Nick Haughton.

However, despite Pearce’s goalscoring form, it’s actually Lenell John-Lewis who has a better goal per minute average this season.

The Shop averages a goal every 76 minutes, whilst Pearce is on a goal every 128 minutes, despite an injury to John-Lewis who is not expected to be back until the New Year.

Assists wise, there’s a two way tie for City. Both Alex Hunt and Dipo Akinyemi have registered four assists each so far this season, which just shows how every player is getting involved high up the pitch.

Dan Batty leads the way in the division for accurate passes per match, at 73.2 per match, whilst Fagan-Walcott is narrowly behind the midfielder on 72.3.

And potentially surprising, Callum Howe has the fifth highest average passes per match in the league, at 64.7.

Credit to Harrison Male as well, who leads the way as the joint golden glove frontrunner, with eight. He currently shares that accolade with Oldham’s Matthew Hudson, Yeovil Town’s Oliver Wright and Barnet’s Nick Hayes.