CLOVIS Kamdjo’s second-half header earned York City a 1-1 draw at Maidstone on the opening day of the National League season.

The former Barnet midfielder’s first goal for his new club cancelled out Bobby-Joe Taylor’s opener. Kamdjo had earlier fired a third-minute effort over for City from 30 yards, before the hosts took control of first-half proceedings.

A glorious chance to open the scoring was subsequently passed up by Alex Flisher when he cleared the bar from four yards at the far post after Callum Driver’s low right-wing cross had been allowed to travel across the face of goal.

But the Minstermen’s reprieve was shortlived as Taylor cut in from the left flank on 22 minutes and exchanged passes with Flisher before rifling a low 12-yard shot across Scott Flinders and into the bottom corner.

The damage could then have been greater when Flinders failed to deal with a Flisher long throw but Ben Greenhalgh’s header was cleared off the line by Ben Clappison and Kevin Lokko scuffed wide from the loose ball.

Flinders was also called into action by Greenhalgh from 15 yards prior to the interval and saved at his near post to deny Tom Murphy after the restart.

The visitors managed their second shot of the afternoon on 48 minutes, but skipper Simon Heslop dragged off target from 15 yards.

But, at the other end, Flisher drilled over from 15 yards following Greenhalgh’s pull back after reaching the left byline.

The latter also failed to find a gaping goal from a similar distance following Flinders’ weak punch after James Rogers’ left-wing cross. City levelled, though, on 69 minutes after wing-back Shaun Rooney won a right-wing corner, swung in by Aidan Connolly and headed into Lee Worgan’s top left-hand corner from ten yards by Kamdjo.

Scott Fenwick headed wide from a Yan Klukoswki flag kick moments later and Heslop’s long-distance attempt was collected by Worgan.

A rising 30-yard effort by Greenhalgh, meanwhile, was a comfortable height for Flinders to gather and, after Alex Whittle drove narrowly wide from the edge of the box for the Minstermen, home sub Dumebi Dumaka missed the target from 20 yards.

Flinders went on to save at his near post after Jack Paxman had broke ominously through the left channel on 88 minutes and then turned away a 30-yard stoppage-time strike from Tom Mills to safeguard a point.