York City 1 Burton Albion 1: Wilcox takes positives after York are denied

Emile Sinclair had given the Minstermen a 70th-minute lead with a debut goal following his switch from Northampton.

But a lucky leveller from Adam McGurk, intended as a cross, earned the Brewers a share of the spoils on 88 minutes.

York manager Russ Wilcox drew on the positives, reasoning that his team performed better than Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s promotion-chasers following back-to-back defeats against Wycombe and Stevenage.

He said: “We were the better side and deserved the three points. Their goalkeeper was the man of the match and, despite the initial disappointment because the difference between one point and three is massive, we must stay positive.

“The players have set a benchmark that will see us pick up results if we perform with the same consistency for our last 19 games.”

Sinclair was denied by former Bradford goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin early on, but made no mistake inside the six-yard area following a clever free-kick routine involving fellow newcomer Malvind Benning, Michael Coulson, Jake Hyde and John McCombe.

Former Barnsley winger Coulson’s rising shot was then kept out at the near post by McLaughlin before substitute McGurk netted for the first time in more than four months in fortunate fashion.

He cut in from the left and his low 15-yard cross crept inside a deceived Bobby Olejnik’s far post.

York City: Olejnik; Halliday, Lowe, McCombe, Benning; Coulson, Penn, Summerfield, Carson; Hyde (Fletcher, 76), Sinclair. Unused substitutes: Montrose, Straker, Meikle, Platt, McCoy, Morris.

Burton Albion: McLaughlin; Edwards, Mousinho, Taft, McCrory; Maynard (Akins, 41), Lenihan, Weir, Palmer (McGurk, 46); Beavon, Blyth. Unused substitutes: Shearer, Knowles, Slade, Sharps , Harness.

Referee: B Toner (Lancashire).

Man of the match: Jon McLaughlin.