Aldershot Town fell to an emphatic 5-1 defeat at high-flying York City in the National League on Saturday.

The hosts took the lead in the fifth minute when Greg Olley headed home past Shots keeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke.

The Shots got back on level terms on 14 minutes when Ryan Jones got the ball on the edge of the box and calmly placed his left-foot shot into the bottom corner past York keeper Harrison Male.

The visitors nearly took the lead when Ryan Hill’s effort from outside the box went wide of the right-hand post.

Aldershot went desperately close to taking the lead in the 31st minute when James Henry’s effort inside the box rattled off the crossbar and away from danger.

York were quick out of the traps at the start of the second half and regained the lead on 47 minutes when the ball fell to Malachi Fagan-Walcott on the edge of the box and he volleyed the ball home past Boyce-Clarke.

The hosts extended their advantage in the 64th minute when substitute Joe Grey fired his effort past Boyce-Clarke and into the roof of the net to make it 3-1.

The Minstermen scored their fourth of the afternoon on 75 minutes when Olley’s through ball found Grey, who burst into the box before rolling his finish under Boyce-Clarke.

Grey then won the hosts a penalty when he was bundled over in the box late on. Grey stepped up from the spot and slotted his 89th-minute penalty past Boyce-Clarke to make it 5-1 and complete his hat-trick.

The defeat leaves Aldershot in 23rd place in the National League table, seven points from 20th-placed Brackley Town and safety.

The Shots will hope to return to winning ways when they host 14th-placed Altrincham at the EBB Stadium on Saturday, December 6 (3pm kick-off).