CONNOR Smith’s first goal for York City secured a 1-1 home draw against Chorley.

The City sub netted for the first time since a summer move from Hartlepool to cancel out Alex Newby’s first-half goal for the Lancastrians.

Chorley went ahead from the game’s first chance on ten minutes with a goal that was clinically finished, but of City’s making.

Dan Parslow played the ball out of defence to Alex Pattison who, facing goal, was sloppy in possession and tackled by Jake Cottrell.

Fellow midfielder Newby then picked up the pieces, surged forward and thumped a 20-yard strike in off Adam Bartlett’s crossbar.

In response, Josh Law curled a free kick inches too high and Raul Correia shot weakly at visiting keeper Matt Urwin after being sent through the left channel by Aidan Connolly.

A looping David Ferguson header, following Jonny Burn’s right-wing cross, was then pushed over by Unwin, before Connolly’s free kick was comfortably gathered by the Magpies keeper.

The best chance of the half, though, was squandered on 39 minutes by Correia.

After the on-loan Blackpool forward had linked up well with Connolly, he sidefooted wastefully over from eight yards in front of an inviting goal.

Another Law free kick, meanwhile, was curled too high before the break and Sean Newton went close when he drove wide from a Correia lay-off.

A lifeless start to the second half saw Newby threaten again on 52 minutes, but his 20-yard attempt was too high after running at Hamza Bencherif through the right channel.

The introduction of second-year scholar Flynn McNaughton led to City’s first chance of the second period, with his short forward pass seeing a 25-yard Connolly effort drift wide on 65 minutes.

Newton then half-volleyed an excellent opportunity over from ten yards after Unwin had punched weakly following Law’s left-wing free kick.

But the Minstermen levelled on 71 minutes when Ferguson’s low cross from the left was deflected across the face of goal and Smith pounced to sidefoot in at the far post from four yards.

At the other end, Bartlett held well after Marcus Carver swept a firm ten-yard shot towards goal following an aerial challenge between Bencherif and Walker.

Parslow also made a superb one-on-one block to divert a Delial Brewster shot away from goal.

For City, Connolly curled wide from 25 yards and Smith missed the target from the edge of the box.

Connolly went on to see a further attempt drift well wide after cutting in from the right during stoppage time and Smith saw his looping header land on the roof of the net at the death following a Law cross.