YORK City Ladies stormed to a third win from three in pre-season, defeating Salford City Lionesses 3-1 on Sunday.

After opening up pre-season with a 4-2 triumph over Rotherham United Women, York cruised to a captivating 9-1 thrashing of North Yorkshire rivals Harrogate Town.

A busy off-season for City has seen Chris Holloway bring in a number of new faces after the retirement of club captain Nikki Brown.

But Holloway has been impressed with what he has seen from the Minsterbelles, telling club media: “I’m really happy, I think Salford provided a different test to what Rotherham and Harrogate did.

“It’s always good to mix it up a little bit, we changed things around today in terms of formations and personnel and I thought that for periods, the girls played well.

“We saw things that we’ve been working on and trying to get out come into play, I’m just a bit disappointed right at the death there to concede.

“But again, it’s great minutes in the legs and a great performance in patches.”

A quiet start to the occasion at York St John University exploded into life as York opened the scoring, with Summer Paley’s cross into the Salford area deflecting off of a visiting defender, and bundling into the back of the net.

With 23 minutes played, the ever-reliable Becky Sidwell produced a superb save to deny a Salford player from drawing the visiting side equal, with the City shot-stopper then parrying clear.

York responded with Katie Astle identifying Sophie Tinson in a dangerous area, whose strike bobbled narrowly wide of the Salford target.

Paley was again involved after her inclusion in the opener, picking out Karli Smith at the back post, who curled an effort wide.

With five minutes remaining before the half-time whistle, the Minsterbelles doubled their advantage.

Tinson found space and possession within the area before lobbing a delicate effort over the head of the Lionesses’ goalkeeper, adding York’s second of the afternoon.

It didn’t take long for Holloway’s side to add a third in the second-half, with Smith this time managing to direct her effort on target, attacking an inswinging corner before powering the header home.

The action fizzled out with the Minsterbelles in control, before Emily Cattle drifted forward from defence and came close to beating the Salford goalkeeper, who palmed the strike over her bar.

Salford did find a way into the action with just three minutes left on the clock, finding the back of the net from a late corner.

York are back in action on Sunday at the York Sport Stadium, when Newcastle United Development make the trip to North Yorkshire (2pm).

YORK CITY LADIES: Sidwell, Todman, Cattle, Smith, Gibbs, Paley, Singleton, Brierley, Jones, Astle, Tinson

Subs: Heslop, Shaw, Hayhurst, Howell