York City 3 Hartlepool United 2: Very late penalty allows the Minstermen to keep the pace in fierce title race
In a title race as hard-fought as the one at the top of this season's Conference, you cannot be slow out of the blocks. York City were at home to Hartlepool United and nearly paid the price.
The home fans were put through the mill by a game it looked as though York had fallen short in, then won, then thrown away, only for Josh Stones' 103rd minute to get them over the line with a 3-2 win.
A 1-1 draw with the last side to beat leaders Rochdale would hardly have been a disaster, but any points dropped when the top two are going at such a pace is disappointing.
So it was a huge relief when second-half pressure paid off with Hiram Boateng's 85th-minute header. But that was only the start of the drama in a game which lasted 103 minutes and 50 seconds.
York missed out in last season's play-offs despite amassing 96 points. With only one automatic promotion spot available – something the Football League need to change for the health of the English pyramid – they will be desperate for it not to happen again.
But a pedestrian first half was almost their undoing on Wednesday night.
When the Minstermen began playing at the pace they ought to have done from kick-off, they caused Pools problems, but it took them 40 minutes to get their rewards.
York put themselves in control of a quite pedestrian first half with flashes of action, only to encourage the visitors back into it.
Goading Pools into pressing them was part of the plan but when they refused to bite, York more often than not just ended up lumping the ball through goalkeeper Harrison Male having sucked the tempo out of the game.
The patience paid off through Alex Newby's terrific 19th-minute goal, but they did not shut the door on the Teessiders.
Zak Johnson headed a Mark Kitching cross wide in the worth minute and it was another quarter of an hour before Newby struck, taking a touch then unleashing an excellent shot from outside the area when Jeff King's cross was headed out to him.
Nick Hayes beat an Ollie Pearce strike aweay when a free-kick was tapped short to him.
But a couple of times Male passes put his team-mates in trouble, Josh Stones unable to win the ball, Pearce taking a kick when he tried to.
Male had to save from Ryan Campbell in the 27th minute and was fortunate no Pools player was alert when he touched it into a dangerous area.
Former Huddersfield Town and Bradford City player Matty Daly had shot deflected for a corner after Morgan Williams gave the ball away with a pass only a few yards in front of the byline. It was far too easy for Reiss McNally to head the flag kick into the net at the far post.
Kitching let a ball over his head and Male had to save from Campbell, then from Luke Charman at a corner as the away team ended the half the stronger.
York started the second half at a much higher tempo, and stationed themselves higher up the pitch but were frustrated by some dogged defending.
Most of the threat came from the right.
King put a shot just wide, Williams then Stones were unable to direct their headers from right-wing crosses on target under pressure and a King cross-shot went just wide of the post.
When York beat Hayes, Jack Hunter blocked the ball on the line and former Bradford City loanee Jay Benn headed an effort from out of his own goalmouth.
Male's ave as Alex Reid took the ball with his back to goal and shot was a warning.
When Benn threw himself in the way of substitute Ben Brookes, as he arrived late onto another right wing cross, this time from substitute Ollie Banks, and was put off enough to hit it over, it looked like being one of those nights.
But persistence paid off, with Boateng leaping highest to nod in another delivery from the right, again from Banks.
A stupidly-conceded free-kick seemed to have undone all the good work when debutant Charlie Caton put the ball in in the seventh added minute.
But with a minimum of 10 added, there was still time.
York attacked again and Zak Johnson was hauled back.
"I heard a rip on the back of my shirt," said the Sunderland-born defender.
A penalty so late in the game with Rochdale having already have won could scarcely have been higher pressure and York's first- and second-choice penalty-takers Ollie Pearce and Alex Hunt had both been substituted by then.
Having done his best to put the takers off, even running over to the dugouts, Hayes dived the right way but Stones thumped his penalty so hard, there was no keeping it out.
It was not a night when the Minstermen were going to be stopped. With Rochdale setting such a high standard, it cannot be any other way.
York City: Male; Williams, Johnson, Kitching; King (Brookes 77), Hunt (Batty 77), Boateng, Newby (Fallowfield 87); Grey (Banks 69); Stones, Pearce (Nathaniel-George 87).
Unused substitutes: Howe, Sykes-Kenworthy,
Hartlepool United: Hayes; Hunter (Johnson 87), Kouogun, McNally; Benn (Brown 87), Sheron, Miley, Daly; Campbell (Folarin 87), Charman (Holohan 79); Reid (Caton 79).
Unused substitutes: Ferguson, Smith.
Referee: D Brown.