CURZON Ashton might have started out as a little church team, but it could be York City reaching for the prayer mats ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay.

Indeed, only a spot of divine intervention from goalkeeper Kyle Letheren spared City an early exit from the world-famous competition during another agonising afternoon at Bootham Crescent.

A crowd of just over 1,300 supporters, boosted by the season’s fourth biggest away following of 154, turned up for a tepid tie that saw the Minstermen muster just one shot on target – Richard Brodie’s ninth-minute penalty.

Having stressed the day before that all the pressure was on his players against the Manchester-based underdogs, outgoing boss Jackie McNamara then felt his team were paralysed by fear during a contest in which they, once more, threw away a lead.

Niall Cummins cancelled out Brodie’s sixth goal of the season before the half-hour mark and, even though the hosts had a strong appeal for a penalty rejected in stoppage time, it would have been a travesty had Curzon lost.

There can be no excuses now as, two days after this game, City take on their part-time hosts, who will be bidding to make the first round proper having completed a full day’s work.

Fitness and fatigue levels must be made to count as the Minstermen try to inject some life into a season that, should they fail at the Tameside Stadium, could be reduced to a battle against relegation from the National League and a tilt at FA Trophy progress.

Standards will need to be much higher, though, than the fare served up on their own turf.

The home side’s attacking moves rarely reached the final third with possession lost long before – often in the most dangerous of positions.

Playing out from the back is an admirable tactic but Jack Higgins – the archetypal mud-and-nettles defender - has been reduced to a bag of nerves on the ball.

Building patiently also requires sensible choices and not passing to a team-mate deep in your own half with an opponent breathing down his neck.

Unforgivably, Curzon looked busier and more organised than their full-time opponents and, unlike City, didn’t carry any passengers.

After Clovis Kamdjo’s block diverted an early Cummins shot off target, the Minstermen forged in front, though, when Brodie sent Shaun Rooney charging through the right channel.

The 20-year-old Scotsman then nudged the ball to the right of an advancing Hakan Burton and was felled after the Nash keeper grabbed his leg.

Brodie went on to display his unnerving composure from 12 yards by placing a firm spot kick to Burton’s right.

Familiarly, though, City could not capitalise on that early boost.

Within seconds, Jordon Wright had drilled over for the visitors and, after Rooney and Higgins both missed the target from Sam Fielding and Danny Galbraith’s respective balls into the box, Letheren saved smartly to his right from a 15-yard Joe Guest drive with Simon Heslop having surrendered possession following a thoughtless pass by Kamdjo.

The warning went unheeded, however, with Guest given far too much space in the left channel to send in a low cross that was allowed to travel across the face of the six-yard box for Cummins to squeeze in a low shot from a narrow angle at the far post.

Wright and Luke Clark went in to try their luck from distance, either side of a Brodie half-volley that bounced wide.

After the break, James Baillie’s 20-yard effort failed to extend Letheren, before Rooney and Fielding were replaced and can count themselves unfortunate, given the contributions of some of their team-mates.

Sub Kanie Felix did, at least, provide some energy down the right flank and combined with Brodie to tee up a 20-yard chance for Heslop that the captain drilled just wide.

Galbraith also stabbed wide from 12 yards, while Matty Dixon dragged off target from further out.

A long Lanre Oyebanjo throw was then headed past the near post by Higgins and Daniel Nti fired wastefully over after Felix chased down Heslop’s searching pass.

But Letheren came to his side’s rescue on 79 minutes when he dived sharply to his left to keep out Cummins’ downward header from an excellent Ryan Hall cross.

Kamdjo, meanwhile, blocked a goalbound Baillie attempt after the Ashton right back has skipped past Higgins and Iain Howard drove over from 25 yards.

The home side might have undeservedly snatched victory at the death when a sliding Chris Rowney threw up his arm to handle Dixon’s cross.

Referee Thomas Bramall remained unmoved, however, meaning the 2016/17 soap opera that is York City will now visit a town famed for its Coronation Street links.

City

STAR MAN Kyle Letheren: 7 – two fine saves spared his team the ignominy of a Cup shock

Lanre Oyebanjo: 5 – caught out of position for equaliser and rusty after long injury lay-off

Jack Higgins: 5 – wayward with his distribution from the back and confidence looked low

Clovis Kamdjo: 6 – made a couple of important blocks at beginning and end of game

Alex Whittle: 6 – attacking threat has been blunted in recent times, but doesn’t let team down defensively

Simon Heslop: 6 – tried to inspire side with positive balls forward and a bit of drive

Sam Fielding: 6 – assured with his dead-ball deliveries before surprisingly early withdrawal

Shaun Rooney: 6 – needs to be more decisive in attack, but positive run led to goal

Yan Klukowski: 5 – could not match visitors’ industry and on the periphery for long periods

Danny Galbraith: 5 – won a couple of tackles, but largely disappointing going forward

Richard Brodie: 5 – took his penalty well but, uncharacteristically, found it tough to keep possession

Substitutes: Kaine Felix 6 – enthusiastic (for Rooney, 52), Matty Dixon 5 – unassertive (for Fielding, 52), Daniel Nti 5 – wasteful (for Brodie, 69).

Subs not used: Luke Simpson, Ben Clappison, Callum Rzonca, Matt Fry.

Curzon Ashton

Hakan Burton, James Baillie, Jonathan Hunt, Jamie Stott, Connor Hampson (Ryan Hall, 46), Jordon Wright (Rory Gorman, 87), Chris Rowney, Luke Clark (Iain Howard, 80), Alex Brown, Joe Guest, Niall Cummins.

Subs not used: Paul Ennis, Cameron Mason, Liam Tomsett.

Curzon star man: Brown – composed on ball and pulled midfield strings

Referee: Thomas Bramall rating: 6/10 – generally OK, but City should have had late penalty

Booked: Burton 9, Guest 27, Cummins 39, Higgins 86, Heslop 88, Baillie 90+3.

Attendance: 1,307 (154 from Curzon)

Shots on target: City 1, Curzon 5

Shots off target: City 7, Curzon 5

Corners: City 3, Curzon 9

Fouls conceded: City 18, Curzon 15

Offside: City 5, Curzon 1