YORK City manager Martin Gray has challenged his team to emulate last season’s National League North champions Salford by bouncing back from the disappointment of an opening-day defeat.

The Minstermen lost 1-0 at Chorley following Adam Blakeman’s first-half goal, but a bullish Gray insisted his team would improve, starting against title favourites Stockport at Bootham Crescent on Tuesday night.

Gray helped mastermind a shock victory at Salford when his then Darlington team kicked off the 2017/18 campaign with a 2-0 triumph courtesy of a brace from David Ferguson, who was an unused City substitute against Chorley.

Placing the Chorley loss in context, Gray told the York Press: “After that result last season, Salford went on a terrific run and just got stronger.

“We’ve now got to do that by reproducing our first-half performance against Chorley for 90 minutes against Stockport. We wanted to get off to a good start and we had a great pre-season, which people might feel means nothing, but it will do during the next ten months because it’s only the first game and we will get better.

“Hopefully, our fans saw what we tried to do and that the new players did well.”

Gray felt the officials cost his side during the opening 45 minutes, arguing that Wes York and Alex Kempster should have both been awarded spot kicks.

York: Bartlett; Griffiths, Bencherif, Tait, Newton; York (Langstaff 64), Heslop, Penn (Moke 60), Kempster; Burrow (Parkin 69), Wright. Subs (not used): Ferguson, Whitley.

GATESHEAD started the National League season in emphatic fashion with victory at Maidenhead.

Greg Olley chipped in the visitors' opener from 15 yards before Heed scored twice in quick succession at the start of the second half.

Scott Boden poked in the second from close range, and Luke Armstrong then slotted into the bottom corner.

Maidstone netted a consolation in the second minute of added time as a corner was deflected into his own net by Fraser Kerr.

Heed boss Steve Watson said: “The start of a season is very important, we know how hard the summer has been and playing in what must have been 100 degrees heat, I thought we were outstanding. Three debut goals which were fantastic.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased with the lads, so to have three points its onwards and upwards now.”

Gateshead: Pears; Kerr, Tinkler, Forbes (Hunter 80), Thomson, Mellish, White (Maloney 65), Olley, O’Donnell, Boden (Salkeld 90), Armstrong. Subs (not used): Foden, Devitt.