Former York loanee Diego De Girolamo marked Steve Cunningham’s first match in charge and Buxton’s only FA Cup first round appearance since 1962 by securing a memorable 1-0 win over the Minstermen.

Striker De Girolamo fired home a deserved left-foot winner six minutes from time to ensure chairman David Hopkins celebrated his birthday in style.

The Northern Premier League outfit raised eyebrows by sacking management duo Gary Hayward and Mark Ward in the week of the club’s biggest game in 59 years but Cunningham, in charge of Curzon Ashton in the previous round, masterminded a deserved success over their National League North hosts.

Buxton immediately posed a threat, with Jamie Ward having a shot blocked inside 25 seconds.

The former Northern Ireland international forced busy York keeper Pete Jameson into his first notable save after 11 minutes, with a follow-up effort from De Girolama blocked.

York, FA Cup semi-finalists back in 1955, finally tested the Derbyshire part-timers when veteran forward Clayton Donaldson’s header was brilliantly tipped over by Theo Richardson.

Buxton, however, offered a greater threat and Jameson denied Ward and then kept out Chris Dawson’s rasping drive before the break.

York, relegated from the Football League in 2016, almost snatched a 49th-minute lead but Sam Fielding’s close-range header was well smothered by Richardson.

Di Giralamo’s 61st-minute lob drifted harmlessly wide but his accuracy was eventually deadly to the delight of more than 1,000 travelling fans.