Gravesend 2, York City 2

Stevenage finished in the last play-off place while Dagenham were a distant 11th.

York City have now tossed away the same number of points due to the five goals they have conceded in the last three minutes in their opening 13 games.

Only one of those goals - a consolation for Forest Green - has not cost them, but Saturday's match at Gravesend was the third late equaliser that has meant the difference between victory and a draw this term.

Similar agonising denouements marred City's performances against Grays and Dagenham, while Aldershot went one better and clinched victory over Billy McEwan's men in the final minute.

City will have to wait until the spring to measure the expense of their generosity but, at this early stage of the season, it has already prevented McEwan's side from enjoying a five-point lead at the top of the table.

It is testament to their performances in the opening 86 minutes of matches that the Minstermen still lie third, and it must be remembered that fewer points have been lost in a careless fashion than those won in an exhilirating manner - though that does not ease the frustration.

Andy Bishop's sixth goal of the season on 86 minutes might have given City a rare late victory of their own but, just three minutes later, 17-year-old on-loan Charlton Athletic striker Onome Sodje grabbed a second leveller for a lively home team.

The visitors had earlier taken a tenth-minute lead when Clayton Donaldson scored his eighth goal of the season and moved within just one game of a club record by scoring for his sixth successive match.

Just as at Aldershot two weeks earlier, Donaldson, giving another example of his devastating pace on the break, collected a measured Bishop pass to leave the defence trailing before rounding the goalkeeper and rolling the ball home.

The 21-year-old striker will always provide a lethal outlet even if the Minstermen are struggling for form and McEwan's men did not fire on all cylinders at Stonebridge Road.

Striker Joe O'Neill struggled to make an impression after earning a recall, while Mark Convery was unusually peripheral and fellow midfielder Emmanuel Panther only began to wield an influence in the later stages.

Centre-backs David McGurk and James Dudgeon were also given their toughest afternoon of the season by Sodje, who has scored 14 goals in 19 matches for Charlton's FA Premier Academy team.

Jimmy Jackson's swirling shot struck City's crossbar on 19 minutes moments before Dudgeon rattled the home woodwork, Convery prodding in the rebound only to be flagged offside.

It was Sodje, though, who instigated Gravesend's first equaliser on the half-hour mark. Dudgeon was exposed by the teenager's pace and the defender's subtle shove on the edge of the box was spotted by the officials. Kim Grant's poorly-struck free-kick caught a vicious deflection off O'Neill's heel in the wall and spun into Chris Porter's left-hand corner.

The hosts almost went into the break in front when Jay Saunders dragged a shot inches wide with only Porter to beat.

Gravesend continued to look the better team until winger Bryan Stewart's introduction gave City a fresh attacking impetus and greater support in midfield.

On 64 minutes, Panther threaded an excellent ball through for Donaldson to chase but his finish fell way short of his recent standards, sidefooting wide as he bore down on goal.

Club captain Mark Hotte, making his first appearance in six matches as an early second-half substitute for Dudgeon, then volleyed over from ten yards after a smartly-worked short corner routine involving Convery and Donaldson.

But the misses appeared irrelevant when Bishop expertly lifted the ball over 'keeper Craig Holloway after being sent clear by a precise Panther pass.

Pick your favourite clich, however, to sum up City's ability to defend one-goal advantages in the final minutes of matches.

Don't count your chickens and it ain't over till the fat lady sings would both suffice but how about Sodje's Law?

The Premiership prospect sprinted behind McGurk to latch on to Saunders' hopeful ball over the top, shrug off Jamie Price and beat Porter to keep City third in the table rather than go top.

Match facts

Gravesend 2, (Grant 30, Sodje 89)

York City 2, (Donaldson 10, Bishop 86)

City ratings:

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Porter 6

Price 7

Dudgeon 6 (Hotte 50 mins, 6)

McGurk 6

Merris 8

Convery 6

Panther 7

Dunning 7

O'Neill 6 (Stewart 54, 6)

Bishop 7

Donaldson 7

Subs (not used): Yalcin, Afandiyev, Palmer.

Star man: Dave Merris - solid, reliable display.

Gravesend: Craig Holloway, Lee Protheroe (Scott Gooding, 83), Ross Smith, Paul McCarthy, Justin Skinner, Danny Slatter, Bobby Bowry (Ben Surey, 42), Jay Saunders, Jimmy Jackson, Onome Sodje, Kim Grant (Jamie Guy, 65). Subs not used: Manny Omoyimni, Aaron Kerr.

Yellow cards: Dudgeon, McGurk (both City), Surey (Gravesend).

Referee: Michael Bull (Chelmsford)

Rating: average.

Attendance: 1,133.

Weather watch: Mild with a slight breeze.

Game breaker: City's decision to defend high with 89 minutes to go, allowing Onome Sodje to use his pace to burst clear and score a late equaliser.

Match rating: City were below-par at times but came up against a decent team and, with two of the Conference's most exciting strikers - Donaldson and Sodje - on the pitch, goals always looked likely.

McEwan's verdict: "They did not play well in the first half but played better in the second and worked their socks off. I could have settled for a draw but made changes to try and win the game and it looked as though that had worked when we got the second goal but we committed hari-kari and could not see it out."

Player watch: Mark Convery

Shots on target: 0

Shots off target: 0

Blocked shots: 0

Passes to own player: 19

Passes to opposition: 10

Crosses to own player: 2

Crosses to opposition: 2

Pass success rate: 63.7 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 1 Dribbles ball lost: 3

Dribble success rate: 25 per cent

Headers: 6 Tackles: 2

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 4

Free-kicks won: 0

Free-kicks conceded: 2

Offside: 1

Bookings: 0

Final summary: A quiet game by his standards. He only made two tackles, failed to win a free-kick and only beat a player once in the match. His distribution was also hit and miss and he had strayed into an offside position when he put the ball in the net with his only shot of the match.

Updated: 10:36 Monday, October 10, 2005