AROUND the corner from the world-famous Elstree Studios, York City fans could have been forgiven for thinking they’d read this script before.

For the second successive weekend, the Minstermen forged into an early lead only to then fluff their lines in front of goal before being forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

And, if anybody among the 50 per cent at Meadow Park of a red-and-blue persuasion thought they were watching the latest in a long line of familiar repeats, Morgan Ferrier’s equaliser, following Amari Morgan-Smith’s seventh-minute opener, meant the MInstermen have now thrown away 20 points from winning positions this term.

That translates to a difference of 14 league places but, less than half a mile from where Star Wars was filmed and episodes of BBC quiz show Pointless are now produced, anybody doubting the worth of another draw – a 13th of the season – in the battle for survival felt the full force of manager Gary Mills’ irritation.

Mills feels that National League survival is still within his team’s grasp despite the gap to safety widening to six points.

But all future leads must now be capitalised on with City having now ended honours even during seven matches in which they were in the ascendancy and lost another two.

The visitors were all over a disorganised Wood side during the first quarter-of-an-hour with Sean Newton slicing wide from 15 yards after Jon Parkin had pulled the ball back from the right byline.

Moments later, the Minstermen were ahead when Vadaine Oliver won an aerial ball and Morgan-Smith drove forward after picking up the pieces.

He went on to ghost untracked into the home box and, after releasing Parkin through the right channel, received the return pass before shooting in off keeper Grant Smith’s right-hand post from eight yards.

Just five minutes later, Oliver headed on another forward pass with Morgan-Smith again anticipating the ball’s flight and, this time, he sent Simon Heslop charging through the right channel but the City skipper elected to shoot early and fired across the face of goal from 15 yards.

It was an encouraging start against a side that had not conceded more than one goal in a league game on their own turf all season.

But the visitors saw that early confidence drain away a little when Luke Garrard’s men levelled on 27 minutes in sloppy circumstances.

Anthony Jeffrey’s chest-high cross from the left carried little threat but keeper Kyle Letheren seemed to be distracted by the presence of Dan Parslow and, rather than clatter into his team-mate which the latter would have not complained about, the ex-Dundee net-minder’s tentative attempt to gather the centre saw him drop the ball and Ferrier pounced to swoop home from eight yards.

It proved Boreham Wood’s only goal attempt of the half and, at the other end, Newton flashed a 25-yard drive narrowly wide moments later.

Oliver also fired into the sidenetting after being played in through the right channel by Parkin.

In stoppage time before the interval, Newton then drilled an effort at Smith after being released through the left channel by Oliver.

Two minutes into the restart, Parkin had thumped his almost obligatory shot against the frame of the goal, turning ten yards out before striking the underside of the bar, while Morgan-Smith hooked over from the rebound.

Parkin went on to volley wide from Newton’s corner after Angelo Balanta’s 25-yard attempt was gathered low down by Letheren.

As the action began to swing from one end to the other, Balanta’s edge-of-the-box deflected strike was comfortably caught by Letheren and an ambitious, long-range Parkin pot-shot sailed wide.

Next, Jeffrey blasted over after cutting in from the left flank, whilst Oliver’s spectacular overhead kick was tipped over in equally, eye-catching fashion by Smith following Newton’s right-wing centre.

Hamza Bencherif also headed off target at the far post following Heslop’s cross from the same flank, before Wood pressed for a winner.

Lively on-loan Forest Green winger Jeffrey had Letheren beaten with a 15-yard drive that struck the base of the City keeper’s right-hand post.

Balanta and Jeffrey missed the target, meanwhile, with further chances, while the away team’s best opportunity of taking maximum points saw Shaun Rooney bundle his way into a scoring position but, having not picked his head up once during the haphazard forward foray, the ball eventually ricocheted out of play and stoppage time was up – unlike the Minstermen’s fight to beat the drop, insisted Mills.

City

Kyle Letheren; Lanre Oyebanjo, Hamza Bencherif, Dan Parslow, Alex Whittle; Simon Heslop, Adriano Moke, Sean Newton; Vadaine Oliver, Jon Parkin, Amari Morgan-Smith.

Subs: Shaun Rooney (for Moke, 77), Danny Holmes (for Parkin, 73), Scott Fenwick (for Oliver, 90+1).

Subs not used: Luke Simpson, Aidan Connolly.

Boreham Wood

Grant Smith, Joe Devera, Matt Paine, Femi Ilesanmi, Bruno Andrade, Mark Ricketts, Jai Reason (Ricky Shakes, 61), Angelo Balanta, Anthony Jeffrey, Morgan Ferrier, Tom Hitchcock.

Subs not used: Ben Nunn, Ben Goodliffe, Daniel Uchechi, Bradley Sach.

Boreham Wood star man: Jeffrey – constant threat down left flank

Referee: Adam Bromley rating: 6/10 – few aberrations but nothing crucial

Booked: Bencherif 37, Newton 90+2.

Attendance: 656 (320 from City)

Shots on target: Boreham Wood 4, City 4

Shots off target: Boreham Wood 5, City 9

Corners: Boreham Wood 4, City 5

Fouls conceded: Boreham Wood 2, City 11

Offside: Boreham Wood 3, City 5