All-square at Heritage Park...
The Minstermen were held to a 1-1 draw on Monday evening in their fifth friendly of pre-season against non-league outfit Darlington 1883.
In rather drab affair in the North East, a second half effort from Gary Brown was cancelled out by Player B for City at Heritage Park.
Russ Wilcox will now be looking to make the most of the final two fixtures of the pre-season programme against Newcastle United on Wednesday evening and Saturday’s visit to FC Halifax Town.
On a wet evening at Darlington’s temporary home, the slick playing surface failed to produce a quick start inside the opening exchanges with much of the ball stuck frustratingly in the centre of the field.
As a result, the first 20 minutes saw neither side really trouble the opposition defence too greatly with all that either side could muster being a half chance from Lindon Meike which the winger diverted wide of goal inside a packed penalty area, before David Dawson turned and shot on the edge-of-the-area for the hosts but his effort flew harmlessly wide of goal.
The slow nature continued throughout as both Darlington and City could only fashion half chances with Ben Godfrey firing over from 25 yards, before Tom Portas and Stephen Thompson failed to hit the target at the other end following neat passages of play.
It took until the final few minutes of the half for the first shot on target but even then Michael Ingham dealt adequately with Thompson’s long range free-kick as he pushed it away to his right before City cleared their lines.
The second period start was much the same as the first period with both teams struggling to string together enough possession to create any sort of serious opportunity. Ingham was however called into action on one occasion to tip a Thompson drive from 20 yards around his post.
Eventually there was some noise created by the 344 spectators inside Heritage Park in the 69th minute but it wasn’t the City supporters cheering as the hosts took the lead.
A deep free-kick caused panic in the Minstermen box and Brown snuck in unmarked to head past a helpless Ingham.
It seem to spark the game into life and Wilcox’s side were soon on level terms when Meikle played the ball through to Player B who raced clear and coolly finished past the onrushing Peter Jameson in the Quakers goal.
The two efforts ensured there was an open nature to the final 15 minutes and it was the home side who came the closest to clinching a winner but Ingham was at his agile best to push away Adam Mitchell’s rasping drive before Eddie Nolan had to clear off his line to deny an Alex Kitchen header.
York City: Ingham, Miekle, Rzonca, Player A, Godfrey, Carson, Player B, George Swan, Platt, Ilesanmi, Nolan.