York City show mark of title-winners in 3-2 win over Hartlepool United – just a pity they are not the only ones

In March, the Football League are expected to discuss granting the Conference another automatic promotion spot but even if they do, it will not be this season.

Title-winners have a habit of winning games late. York have done it at Braintree, Hartlepool United and Altrincham. On Wednesday in the reverse fixture against Hartlepool, they did it again. Twice.

Playing too slowly and from too deep, they let Pools equalise Alex Newby's brilliant half-volley at the end of the first half and were frustrated by a couple of excellent goalline blocks as they piled on the pressure in a much better second half.

Finally, in the 84th minute, Hiram Boateng headed in the latest of many righ t-wing crosses. Job done.

Except it was not. York conceded a soft free-kick in the 97th minute and Charlie Caton scored.

Fortunately for York, referee Declan Brown had decided to add a minimum of 10 minutes to the half.

"I said to Morgan Wiliams, 'I think there'll be three minutes added on,'” admitted Zak Johnson afterwards.

In time added to added time, Johnson was pulled down in the area.

"I heard a rip in the back of my shirt," he said. "The ball was coming onto my head."

"The amount of pulling going on in the box all night long, I think that he just couldn't not give it," said proud manager Stuart Maynard.

Twenty-eight-goal Ollie Pearce, scorer of the 91st-minute penalty at Altrincham and 93rd-minute spot kick at Braintree had been substituted. Nick Hayes guessed the right way but Josh Stones smashed his 103rd-minute kick too hard.

"We don't know when we're beaten," said Maynard.

"We had to find a different way of winning. We said it to the group at half-time, we need to go more direct. We have to be prepared to win games in different ways and keep going all the way to the end.

"We show no disappointment. It's the biggest thing since we've come through the door.

"After you make a mistake or concede a goal like we did so late on it's that belief of knowing that while there's time left on the clock, that there's a goal there for us.

"Stonesy showed some minerals to step up and take it with the composure that he did."

Johnson felt it was a win others will take notice of.

"I believe in the lads," said the centre-back. "To get last-minute winners when games aren't necessarily going our way shows how good a team we are to keep fighting and getting results. That's what promotion teams do.

"It's in us. It comes from the management staff who came in at half-time after they scored late in the first half. No one was panicking.

"We said we'd been in this situation before and we were looking to push on for a winner.

"Don't get me wrong, it was deflating when they scored the (second) goal and we'll go back and assess that. It can't happen.

"(But) it sends a statement out to the league that we're never going to give up. We're going for top spot."

York are now 20 games unbeaten. And second.

Rochdale, two points clear with two games in hand are not giving up either, completing a 2-1 win over dangerous Forest Green before the madness at the Community Stadium.

Last season York won 96 points and still finished six behind Barnet, then lost in the play-offs.

For history to repeat itself would be crushing.

There are two special sides in this season's Conference. If only one did not have to chance the play-offs.