Never-say-die York City hit back at Morecambe to claim first point back in Football League (From York Press)

Never-say-die York City hit back at Morecambe to claim first point back in Football League

10:03pm Tuesday 21st August 2012 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

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Morecambe 2, York City 2

ASHLEY Chambers’ late goal saw York City pick up their first point back in the Football League.

The City striker pounced on 86 minutes to secure a 2-2 draw for his side at Morecambe, where Gary Mills’ men were twice required to come from behind.

Ex-Minsterman Richard Brodie had earlier opened the scoring on 53 minutes from a penalty, conceded by Chris Doig, and Stewart Drummond put the Shrimps back in front after City captain Chris Smith had headed in an equaliser.

City manager Gary Mills gave Lanre Oyebanjo his first start of the season and also handed fellow full-back Danny Blanchett a debut for the visitors.

Lee Bullock and Jamal Fyfield dropped to the bench with Dan Parslow moving into the midfield anchor role from right-back.

Morecambe created the first opportunity of the night but Gary McDonald’s deflected edge-of-the-box effort failed to trouble Michael Ingham ’s goal.

The Shrimps should have opened the scoring in the eighth minute, however, after Doig gave away possession just inside the home half.

McDonald played the ball through the right channel for Brodie to chase on to and, after brushing off Chris Smith’s challenge, the Geordie striker unleashed an angled shot that Ingham saved low to his right.

City fans behind the goal then held their breath as Kevin Ellison charged towards the loose ball but, somehow, Morecambe’s experienced frontman fired over an open goal from eight yards.

On 24 minutes, Chris Smith received a stern lecture but no further punishment from referee Dean Mohareb for an apparent stamp on Brodie off the ball.

City, who had been a little tentative in their forays into the home penalty box, managed their first goal attempt on the half-hour mark after Chambers was tripped 20 yards from goal.

Michael Coulson’s curling free-kick, destined for Barry Roche’s top left-hand corner, was pushed away by the Morecambe ’keeper who then punched away from under his own crossbar after Oyebanjo’s looping follow-up effort.

At the other end, Andrew Fleming tried his luck with two 20-yard efforts but both cleared Ingham’s crossbar – the first with the aid of a deflection.

The nearest either side came to breaking the first-half deadlock, however, came in bizarre circumstances just three minutes from the break. Brodie broke the visitors’ offside trap before delivering a low cross that hit Jonathan Smith and sailed over Ingham’s head before striking the crossbar only for City to scramble the ball to safety.

Smith, never one to shirk a challenge, then completed an eventful end to the half for him by tackling one of the advertising hoardings, situated dangerously close to pitch side at the Globe Arena.

He cut his chin in the process but emerged for the second half after treatment from City physio Jeff Miller.

Ellison wasted two more glorious openings for the hosts early in the second half, firing wastefully wide from 15 yards after Oyebanjo, his marker, had slipped and then heading tamely into Ingham’s hands from close range after being picked out unmarked by Brodie.

On 53 minutes, however, Jim Bentley’s men forged ahead after McDonald fell over Doig’s clumsy challenge.

Brodie, as he did on so many occasions for City, found the ’keeper’s bottom left-hand corner with the resulting penalty despite Ingham guessing right and getting a hand to his effort.

The Minstermen, though, were level within five minutes.

Walker was clattered from behind close to the halfway line and Parslow then met Oyebanjo’s deep, diagonal free-kick to the far post with his head and Smith rose to beat Roche powerfully from six yards out.

But the visitors’ joy was short-lived with Fleming’s corner, carelessly conceded by Oyebanjo, volleyed past Ingham from inside City’s six-yard box by Drummond.

City came back again, though, with Parslow’s excellent right-wing cross met by a downward Chambers header that Roche saved but the former Leicester striker kept his composure to drill in from the rebound.