NATIONAL League top-scorer Ollie Pearce helped himself to a first-half hat-trick as York City romped to a 4-0 win over visiting Truro City.

Pearce, who leads the dixvision with 19 goals and ranks second for assists (6) after 22 appearances this season, netted three times in the opening stanza to all but secure a home win.

A spirited Tinners side fared better in the second stanza as the in-form Minstermen took their foot off the gas and went close through Luke Jephcott, Will Dean and Lirak Hasani.

The final word went to York however, who cemented their status as title contenders with a late fourth, as Alex Newby got the better of Aidan Stone to complete the double against Truro, having won the very first Step One tie at The TCS by two goals to nil back in August.

John Askey made four changes to the Tinners side that won 2-0 at home to mid-table Wealdstone in midweek, a night on which the victors ended a winless run of eight matches and reduced the deficit between themselves and the dreaded dotted line to just five points.

Young Max Kinsey came in for just his third National League start of the campaign as club captain Connor Riley-Lowe reverted to a place on the substitute's bench. Dan Rooney and Cole Deeming returned in the engine room meanwhile, as did Jephcott in attack, at the expense of Yassine En-Neyah, Dean and Tyler Harvey.

Led by Step One's runaway Golden Boot candidate, Pearce, the Minstermen went into the evening kick-off well embedded in the promotion picture, sitting fourth in the standings and just four points behind leaders Rochdale, who had the benefit of a game in-hand over them.

York may have won their last six outings domestically, leading to respective Manager and Player of the Month awards for Stuart Maynard and Pearce, but they were shocked seven days prior when losing on penalties to Northern Premier League side Clitheroe in the FA Trophy.

For Askey, it marked a return to the York Community Stadium, where in the 12 months from November 2021, he transformed City from mid-table mediocrity in the division below to National League contenders, capped by a memorable play-off triumph during the club’s centenary year.

Another familiar link between the two sides was York substitute Hiram Boateng, who played for Plymouth Argyle almost a decade ago alongside Harvey, as well as former Tinners Luke McCormick, siblings Aaron and Jordan Bentley, and Louis Rooney, brother of Dan.

York burst out of the traps and instantly put the Tinners defence under a magnifying glass, winning a corner inside the opening 20 seconds. The delivery, on a slick surface, was a poor one and was easily dealt with. Their next opportunity bore fruit however, with Pearce afforded a free header from inside the box that he placed past the despairing dive of Stone.

Within seconds the Tinners found themselves on the back-foot again, resulting in Shaun Donnellan being shown a yellow card, having brought down Josh Stones down in the centre circle. The lively Stones proved a thorn in the side as he forced Tom Harrison into conceding a corner, before firing in a low shot that struck Donnellan and left the Livingstone loanee needing treatment. After a few minutes, it was clear the defender couldn’t continue, prompting Askey to bring on Dean, who took over the armband from Harrison.

Deeming escaped a booking after mistiming a tackle that resulted in a free-kick conceded in a dangerous position, one which Stone’s wall dealt with admirably. City took heart from that and began to show a few more promising signs, with their high press causing concern for the Minstermen.

Dean picked out Kinsey’s late run with a ball to the back post, but the advancing midfield man couldn’t steer the ball towards goal.

Dominic Johnson-Fisher was unlucky too, with the fleet-footed forward occupying many a good position but without finding a way to test home custodian Harrison Male - his best effort blocked when driven in from 12 yards.

After weathering a relative storm, a clinical and impressive York reassumed control of the play and scored twice more before the break. First, Pearce raced onto a quick free-kick to slide in his second before having the ball put on a plate for him deep in added-on time to complete a remarkable 40-minute treble.

A win would have lifted the Tinners off the bottom of the table at Morecambe’s expense, while victory for York would take the Minstermen as high as second and so it was, as a professional home side continued doing exactly what they needed to do in order to keep the pressure on Rochdale.

Regardless, City made a bright start to the second half, with Hasani ghosting into the box and forcing an under-worked York backline into some defending. Stunned into action and not wanting to be on the end of a comeback for the ages, Maynard’s men turned the screw and saw Mark Kitching head over before Stone parried Stones’ fiercely struck effort.

Patient build-up play from City allowed Deeming to unlock the defence and deliver into the box, where the ball fell to Jephcott, whose strike was deflected wide for a corner. Jephcott was soon in the action again, glancing a Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain cross wide of Male’s far post, before being caught offside when it looked as though he was clear.

Dean then took aim for the bottom corner, but Male got down well to turn his effort around the post. York cleared their lines from Hasani’s corner and broke through Pearce, who was frustrated in his quest for a four-timer by a persistent Ryan Law.

As time ticked by, neither side showed signs of fatigue and the shot counter continued to rise, with Stone producing an acrobatic stop to deny Ollie Banks’ long-range strike while Hasani, after his initial effort was blocked, sent an attempt narrowly wide of Male’s woodwork.

It was at this point that two of the largest cheers of a bitterly cold evening rang out, with the 103 travelling Tinners applauded by the home support. In return, the Cornish contingent rose off their seats to cheer the performance – and departure – of Pearce, who left the field to a standing ovation and another match ball to his name.

Moments later it was truly game, set and match as Newby collected possession on the edge of the area and swept past Stone to extend his side’s advantage.

In all honesty, the Tinners battle isn’t against the teams at the top of the division but rather, in their maiden outing at this level, those sides in and around them at the other end of the table.

The festive fixture list doesn't play fair however, with trips to third-placed Forest Green Rovers and play-off chasing Southend United following the Boxing Day visit of mid-table Yeovil Town to The TCS.

That being said, Truro taking points from the tests that lie immediately ahead could be just the tonic for a happy New Year and far differing fortunes in 2026.

YORK CITY: Male; Kitching, Fagan-Walcott (Johnson, 65), Howe (capt), Hunt (Boateng, 65), Stones (Banks, 65), Pearce (Hewitt, 75), Grey (Felix, 75), Batty, Olley, Newby. Subs not used: Sykes-Kenworthy, Brookes.

TRURO CITY: Stone; Harrison (capt), Rooney, Johnson-Fisher (En-Neyah, 75), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hasani, Jephcott (Harvey, 75), Law, Kinsey, Donnellan (Dean, 16), Deeming. Subs not used: Lavercombe, Bell, Riley-Lowe, Palfrey.

Referee: Andrew Miller.

Attendance: 6,575 (103 away).