York City held champions-elect Crawley Town to a 1-1 draw in an evenly-contested encounter at Bootham Crescent.

Jonathan Smith gave the Minstermen a deserved half-time lead before Sergio Torres’ deflected equaliser levelled the scores in a second period that the league leaders, now unbeaten in 24 league matches, shaded.

By sharing the spoils, play-off chasing City missed out on a tenth consecutive home league win but their performance should offer plenty of optimism for the club’s remaining six fixtures.

City manager Gary Mills made three changes to the side that started Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Kettering.

Top scorer Michael Rankine earned a recall, while Scott Kerr also shrugged off a back problem to return and Liam Darville came back into favour, surprisingly installed in City’s three-man midfield.

Levi Mackin, Andre Boucaud and Ashley Chambers dropped to the bench.

Former City striker Richard Brodie, meanwhile, was included in the visitors’ starting line-up with 34-goal leading marksman Matt Tubbs ruled out due to a groin strain.

Rankine set the tone for a competitive first half when he floored 20-year-old Crawley centre-back Charlie Wassmer with his forearm during an aerial challenge within seconds of the start.

Despite the first of many dug-out tirades from Steve Evans – surely the angriest man in football – Rankine’s only punishment was to concede a free-kick.

Evans’ side managed the first goal attempt of the night but Ben Smith hoofed the long-range opportunity into a sparse away end following Brodie’s lay-off.

The Minstermen forged ahead moments later after a devastating 14th-minute counter attack.

Kerr won possession in City’s half and fed the willing Jonathan Smith who, in turn, released Rankine through the right channel with a perfectly-weighted pass.

Former Forest Green midfielder Smith then carried on his run and was picked out at the far post excellently by Rankine to sidefoot in from four yards.

Smith, sniffing a second goal, also fired straight at Crawley goalkeeper Scott Shearer after the ball sat up nicely for him 25 yards from goal.

Shortly afterwards, Shearer beat away a fiercer drive from a similar distance by Kerr before home skipper Chris Smith left his mark on Brodie with a late lunge that led to a caution.

Jamie Reed might have sent City into the interval 2-0 to the good on 43 minutes but his 30-yard shot bounced wide of an inviting goal with visiting ’keeper Shearer stranded following a poor clearance.

At the other end, Michael Ingham was called into action for the first occasion when he safely gathered a tame Willie Gibson effort on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors levelled the scores just four minutes into the second period, however, in fortuitous circumstances.

Darville’s improvised clearance in the penalty box only fell as far as Torres on the edge of the area.

He then fired at Ingham’s goal with the ball taking a vicious deflection off Chris Smith and spinning into the helpless ’keeper’s bottom right-hand corner.

That proved the catalyst for some concerted Crawley pressure with City’s back four defending superbly.

One visiting attack ended in controversial circumstances, however, when an errant whistle in the David Longhurst Stand caused referee Richard Wigglesworth to stop play.

Evans inevitably led the protests and was sent off by the Doncaster official.

Right-winger Gibson then drove wide after the restart.

Mills took action with a double substitution introducing Chris Carruthers and Chambers, who made an immediate impact.

The on-loan Leicester striker sped past Wassmer before spotting another lung-busting run into the box by Jonathan Smith.

This time, though, Smith shot inches wide of Shearer’s near post and City had to settle for a point.


Match facts

York City 1 (Jonathan Smith 14 ), Crawley Town 1 (Torres 49)

York City: Michael Ingham 8, Daniel Parslow 9, David McGurk 9, Chris Smith 9, James Meredith 9, Scott Kerr 8, Liam Darville 7, Jonathan Smith 8, Jamie Reed 7, Michael Rankine 7, Peter Till 7.

Subs: Ashley Chambers (for Till 78), Chris Carruthers (for Rankine 78), Leon Constantine (for Reed 90).

Subs not used: Levi Mackin, Andre Boucaud.

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire.

City’s star man: Chris Smith – had Richard Brodie in his pocket and led by example.

Crawley: Scott Shearer, Glenn Wilson, Charlie Wassmer, Kyle McFadzean, Dean Howell, Willie Gibson (Simon Rusk 87), Ben Smith (Josh Simpson 72), Dannie Bulman, Sergio Torres, Richard Brodie (Jamie Cook 81), Craig McAllister.

Subs not used: David Hunt, Nick Jordan.

Booked: Kerr 26, C Smith 30, Torres 61, B Smith 65, Reed 78 Sent off: None.

Shots on target: York 3, Crawley 2.

Shots off target: York 2, Crawley 3.

Corners: York 6, Crawley 2.

Fouls conceded: York 9, Crawley 5.

Offsides: York 1, Crawley 3.

Referee: Richard Wigglesworth (Doncaster).

Attendance: 3,060 (84 from Crawley).