Darlington 2 York City 2: Substitutes to rescue as Minstermen avoid embarrassing defeat

York last tasted defeat on their league travels on September 27 when they lost at Gateshead. They have now gone 10 away matches without a reverse, an achievement equalling that of the 1973-74 promotion-winning team.

But for an hour York were heading for defeat as Darlington, with 17-year-old goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and five other teenagers in their ranks, proved the better side.

Darlington are in administration, all their players having had their contracts cancelled a week ago. However, the Quakers made light of their problems and delighted the 6,413 crowd by outplaying York in the first half, taking a 42nd-minute lead through Adam Rundle after sloppy defending from a short corner. When John McReady made it 2-0 on 53 minutes following Andre Boucaud’s mistake, a shock was on.

Manager Gary Mills’s decision to bring on Ashley Chambers and Jamie Reed proved a master-stroke. Six minutes later, Chambers floated over a corner for Chris Smith to head home.

Within 60 seconds, Reed, with his back to goal, turned well and provided the pass for Chambers to cut in from the left and score with a fine low cross-shot. Both sides missed chances, Paddy Mclaughlin being denied by Pickford’s stoppage time save.

Mills said: “It was only when we went 2-0 down that we showed any urgency. It was a vital point.”

Darlington: Pickford; Arnison (P Gray, 40), Taylor, Harrison, Brown; McReady, Hopson (J Gray, 76), Bridge-Wilkinson, Rundle, Bowman; Ramshaw. Unused substitutes: Nixon, Lambert, Barton.

York City: Ingham; Challinor, Smith, Parslow, Meredith; Kerr, Boucaud (Reed, 53), McLaughlin; Blair, Blinkhorn (Fyfield, 72), Pilkington (Chambers, 53). Unused substitutes: McGurk, Potts.

Referee: D Handley (Bolton).

Man of the match: Chris Smith.