JON Parkin’s first goal of the season earned York City a 1-1 home draw with Curzon Ashton.

The 36-year-old veteran, who netted 25 times last term, got his name on the scoresheet for the first time since mid-January with his 76th-minute equaliser.

Joe Guest had earlier given Curzon a 58th-minute lead, but the Greater Manchester part-timers went on to secure a share of the spoils despite finishing the game with ten men following Cameron McJannet’s red card as the match entered stoppage time.

Neither keeper made a save during the opening 45 minutes with Guest firing across the face of goal early on after Ryan Brooke had sent him charging through the left channel.

City did have the net bulging on 11 minutes but Hamza Bencherif’s downward header from Kallum Griffiths’ free kick was ruled out for a foul.

The home side had also called for greater punishment than a yellow card for Daniel Shaw after he had tangled with Macaulay Langstaff for a through ball that led to the free kick. 

Moments later, an ambitious, long-range, lobbed effort by Parkin bounced wide and Langstaff also dragged a 20-yard chance off target.

Wes York was similarly wayward from distance, while Parkin mistimed a 25-yard chest-and-volley attempt that trickled wide.

A blocked Langstaff shot then led to the game’s first corner on 36 minutes, which saw a Parkin opportunity drift wide.

The contest’s first on-target goal attempt saw City keeper Adam Bartlett make a flying save to push Oliver Crankshaw’s 15-yard half-volley behind for a corner and, a minute later, the visitors broke the deadlock.

Bartlett could only parry Brooke’s firm 20-yard shot straight out to Guest, who pounced to lift the ball into the net.

Shortly afterwards, Guest’s weak 25-yard effort rolled through to Bartlett, while Parkin squandered a great chance at the other end when his stooping header from Griffiths’ free kick bounced wide.

Tom Allan went on to head well over from another Griffiths dead-ball delivery, before horrible play all round saw Bencherif lose possession to Brooke close to the left touchline but, after the latter picked out an unmarked Guest in the box, the Curzon marksman dallied so long that Bartlett was able to steal the ball from his toes.

Moments later, Connor Hughes also found plenty of space down City's left flank and his low cross again found Guest, who this time blasted a shot at Bartlett, with City fans howling in derision at their team’s efforts.

But those jeers turned to cheers on 76 minutes when a long ball forward dropped to Parkin on the edge of the away box and, although his first attempt to shoot and turn was thwarted, when the ball broke kindly for him, he drilled a 15-yard drive into Cameron Mason’s bottom-right corner.

Within seconds, the Minstermen had a terrific chance to forge in front but Simon Heslop fired just wide from the edge of the box following Parkin’s lay-off.

For Curzon, Rowney’s 20-yard volley smacked against the roof of the Longhurst, before sub Jake Wright squandered another opportunity to net.

The former Sheffield United striker headed over an inviting goal after Bencherif had rose highest to meet Griffiths’ free kick.

A positive raid by Wright was then halted by McJannet on 90 minutes with the latter sent off for his second bookable offence.

Parkin blasted the resulting free kick just wide, while Hughes curled the afternoon’s last opportunity over in stoppage time for Curzon.