YORK City have now suffered their longest-ever run without a victory at Conference level after racking up a tenth win-less match against Chester.

Kane Richards’ stoppage-time equaliser denied returning boss Gary Mills maximum points on his Bootham Crescent homecoming and left City contemplating their worst sequence of results in the highest tier of non-League football.

That unenviable accolade had belonged to the 2004/05 side, inherited by Billy McEwan from his predecessors Viv Busby and Chris Brass, as the Minstermen limped to safety during their first campaign after relegation from the Football League.

Mills must now look for a cure to a similar-sized hangover with the club having tumbled back into the same division under Jackie McNamara last spring.

One of the legacies still lingering on from McNamara’s troubled tenure is the team’s inability to hang on to leads and, having exited the FA Cup despite being in the ascendancy during both of their meetings with part-timers Curzon Ashton, a total of twelve points have now been tossed away from winning positions this term – two-thirds of those after conceding last-minute or injury-time goals.

Richards followed the likes of Ricky Shakes, for Boreham Wood, Forest Green’s Matt Tubbs and Lee Barnard, of Braintree, by pouncing in the final throes to cost City dearly. But, as in those other fixtures, the Minstermen were clinging on grimly at the death as goalkeeper Kyle Letheren – the team’s indisputable Player of the Year so far – keeping the opposition at bay with another string of fine saves, while the frame of the home side’s goal was also rattled twice and earlier marksman Matt Fry survived an almighty penalty scare.

Despite the late anguish, Mills was honest enough to recognise that Chester, managed by fellow former City favourite Jon McCarthy, merited at least a share of the spoils.

Home chances were at a premium against a visiting side that had not conceded a single goal in their previous seven National League fixtures but, at the other end, the Minstermen also looked a more-organised proposition during the first half than they have done for the majority of the season.

Elliott Durrell lifted a presentable 12-yard opportunity over after five minutes and, while recalled lone central striker Scott Fenwick struggled to make inroads against the uncompromising Chester back line, City were holding their own before the interval.

After Jack Higgins had headed over from Callum Rzonca’s left-wing free kick, a rising 25-yard Craig Mahon half-volley was well held by Letheren.

Durrell also saw a curling attempt deflected wide having drifting inside from the left flank, while Rzonca had two stabs at a shot from close in, following Daniel Nti’s low cross – the first was blocked and the second was too tame to trouble away keeper Liam Roberts.

A couple of hurried efforts by Jordan Chapell and James Alabi, meanwhile, hit the roof of the David Longhurst Stand, either side of Durrell missing the target with a free kick.

The latter then could not steer Mahon’s low right-wing cross towards goal on the stroke of half-time.

After the restart, Durrell dragged wide from distance and fired narrowly over from the edge of the box, while a diagonal Chapell drive lacked the power to beat Letheren.

The City keeper saved excellently on 68 minutes, though, after Alabi’s pace had taken him clear of Higgins.

Letheren came out on top in the one-on-one situation, as he stretched out his left leg to deny the muscular forward.

Just moments later, the Minstermen had forged in front with their first goal attempt for 40 minutes.

Rzonca won a corner down the right that was delivered by Danny Galbraith in the direction of an unmarked Fry who, from five yards out, saw his 70th-minute downward header cross the line in spite of vain away attempts to clear the danger.

But Chester responded in spirited fashion as Durrell’s defected free kick hit Letheren’s left-hand upright and the former Blackpool keeper went on to display smart reflexes to thwart Lloyd from close range.

On 80 minutes, the 28-year-old shot-stopper charged out of his goal to smother at Alabi’s feet after he had burst clear for a second time, while City enjoyed a spot of fortune after Richards wastefully hit the far post from six yards following Durrell’s low right-wing cross and a sliding Fry escaped punishment when he seemed to trip Lloyd in the penalty area.

The hosts’ luck ran out, though, in the first minute of added-on time when Richards leapt high to head into the roof of the net from Lloyd’s left-wing delivery.

Nti’s header, from a Galbraith free kick, went on to force a flying stop from Roberts, but nobody could argue that Chester did not deserve to extend their unbeaten league run to an eighth game.

City

STAR MAN Kyle Letheren: 8 – gave another virtuoso display of shot-stopping

Lanre Oyebanjo: 6 – still getting fit and given a tough game by determined winger Durrell

Jack Higgins: 6 – dominant in the air, but caught out for pace by Alabi

Matty Fry: 6 – good goal while distribution from back and decision making could have been better

Alex Whittle: 7 – saw off Chapell after he failed to get better of City’s resolute left back

Clovis Kamdo: 6 – scrapped for possession without offering anything positive going forward

Simon Heslop: 6 – looked to move the team upfield, but caught in possession at times

Franklyn Clarke: 6 – combative but lacked composure and confidence to contribute offensively

Daniel Nti: 6 – didn’t shy away from getting involved, although final pass needs to improve

Scott Fenwick: 6 – put a couple of decent crosses in, while failing to unsettle Chester centre backs

Callum Rzonca: 6 – a little tentative on his full senior debut, but could be dangerous with encouragement

Substitutes: Danny Galbraith 7 – positive (for Clarke, 64), Richard Brodie 6 – contained (for Fenwick, 69), Yan Klukowski (for Rzonca, 78).

Subs not used: Scott Flinders, Ben Clappison.

Chester

Liam Roberts, Theo Vassell, Ryan Astles, Sam Hughes, Johnny Hunt, Elliott Durrell, Luke George, Ryan Lloyd, Jordan Chapell (Kane Richards, 66), Craig Mahon, James Alabi.

Subs not used: Alex Lynch, Ross Killock, Blaine Hudson, Wade Joyce.

Chester star man: Astles – gave no quarter with his muscular approach to defending

Referee: Simon Barrow rating: 6/10 – firm but a couple of key oversights

Booked: Nti 14, Fenwick 22, Heslop 35, Galbraith 86, Vassell 86, Richards 87, Brodie 88

Attendance: 2,639 (565 from Chester)

Shots on target: City 3, Chester 7

Shots off target: City 3, Chester 9

Corners: City 8, Chester 5

Fouls conceded: City 14, Chester 11

Offside: City 6, Chester 1