Match report: Crawley Town 1, York City 1

Ultimately, though, it couldn’t buy the cash-laden Sussex side three points against York City during an otherwise almost all-conquering 2010/11 campaign with Grimsby Town the only other Blue Square Bet Premier team not to taste defeat against the Red Devils.

Twice Steve Evans’ men have been forced to come from behind to secure 1-1 draws against the Bootham Crescent outfit who, under Gary Mills, have become undaunted by any form of opposition.

Only a Matt Tubbs penalty – his 40th goal of the season – prevented City from becoming the first side to defeat the runaway champions in a league game since Mills took over the managerial reins in North Yorkshire on October 16.

And, following on from Sergio Torres’ heavily-deflected equaliser earlier in April, Crawley can count themselves fortunate to have finished level on aggregate after their two meetings with the Minstermen.

While the difference in the respective clubs’ budgets might have been vast this season, the gap on the pitch was negligible and, had Mills arrived sooner and also managed to successfully address the season-long struggle to convert chances, City might just have given the champions a run for their pots of money.

Missed opportunities were again a feature of Saturday’s final outing of the season and Michael Rankine perhaps should have given the visitors an incredible 3-0 lead by the interval.

At the other end, though, Michael Ingham needed to display sharp reflexes to thwart Tubbs twice on the rare occasions the ex-Salisbury striker escaped the attentions of James Meredith – a revelation again at centre-back during the toughest challenge this division and, perhaps the one above, can offer.

Crawley also forced a succession of corners – 17 in total – but City’s determined defence held firm and would have kept a 23rd clean sheet of the season but for Levi Mackin’s needless lunge on home substitute Craig McAllister midway through the second half.

Just moments before, Evans had been forced to reshuffle and match the visitors’ 4-3-3 tactics as the title winners struggled to gain a foothold in midfield, where Andre Boucaud and Scott Kerr were in imperious form with their ability to retain possession.

A City side featuring seven out-of-contract players had earlier survived a fourth-minute scare when Ingham was forced to grab hold of a Kerr back pass with former City striker Richard Brodie looking to pounce.

Tubbs’ shot from the subsequent free-kick was deflected wide though and, seconds later, the Minstermen forged in front on the counter.

A Boucaud pass found Jamal Fyfield sprinting down the left wing and his teasing cross was converted past Red Devils ’keeper Scott Shearer by a sliding David Hunt six yards from goal with Rankine in close attendance.

Moments later, another raid by Fyfield, displaying his versatility on the flank following two games at centre-back, ended in a second low delivery that rolled just behind Rankine.

Crawley regrouped with the ball falling to Tubbs eight yards out following Dean Howell’s free-kick on 22 minutes. The league’s top marksman, though, was denied by an instinctive stop by Ingham low to his right.

Ingham was also equal to Tubbs’ inventive back heel before Rankine failed to adjust his feet in front of goal when presented with a great opportunity in the Red Devils’ six-yard box in the 35th minute.

The 6ft 3in striker also blazed wastefully into the mocking home crowd with only Shearer to beat after being released through the right channel by Liam Darville, never looking comfortable as he bore down on goal and only shooting when he realised the option of passing square to a team-mate wasn’t going to materialise.

Brodie, meanwhile, sidefooted over from close range on the stroke of half-time after Scott Neilson’s cross to the near post.

Early in the second period, Rankine called Shearer into action with a 15-yard drive that the ’keeper turned behind for a corner but Crawley, who had threatened little since the interval, got back on level terms after 67 minutes.

McAllister was 12 yards out and heading away from goal when Mackin scythed him down with a reckless challenge and Tubbs converted the spot kick despite Ingham guessing correctly and getting his fingertips to the shot, diving to his left.

Buoyed by the goal, Crawley might have taken the lead but Tubbs’ downward header from Willie Gibson’s cross lacked the power or direction to trouble Ingham and City rallied with Fyfield unfortunate to be penalised as he burst through on goal at the other end.

Referee Nick Kinseley ruled the City player had shoved aside Charlie Wassmer when the same infringement might easily have been levelled at the Crawley centre-back and a second penalty awarded.

Jamie Cook’s 12-yard volley then cleared the bar and Ingham again needed to be alert to push over a firmly struck free-kick from Gibson.

City’s thirst for an upset continued until the final whistle, however, with Boucaud firing wide from 25 yards in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Then followed the kind of celebrations that have become all too familiar for City fans, having looked on forlornly and with envy as both Stevenage and Oxford secured their Football League status last season. Mills, though, has given the club’s loyal supporters renewed hope that they might be the ones throwing the party this time next year.

Match facts

Crawley Town 1 (Tubbs pen 67), York City 1 (Hunt og 5)

York City: Michael Ingham 9, Liam Darville 8, Chris Smith 9, James Meredith 9, Chris Carruthers 8, Scott Kerr 9, Andre Boucaud 9, Levi Mackin 7, Ashley Chambers 6, Michael Rankine 6, Jamal Fyfield 8.

Subs: Jamie Reed 7 (for Rankine, 59), Jonathan Smith (for Mackin, 71), Peter Till (for Fyfield, 89). Not used: Neil Barrett, Greg Young.

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

Star man: Meredith – won his personal battle with Tubbs.

Crawley: Scott Shearer, Glenn Wilson, John Dempster, Charlie Wassmer, Dean Howell, Scott Neilson (Jamie Cook, 66), Josh Simpson, David Hunt (Ben Smith, 83), Willie Gibson, Richard Brodie (Craig McAllister, 66), Matt Tubbs.

Subs not used: Michael Kuipers, Byron Napper.

Booked: C Smith 3, Mackin 26, Brodie 33, Rankine 45, Gibson 45, Dempster 63, Chambers 70, Hunt 75, J Smith 82, Meredith 86.

Shots on target: Crawley 5, City 2.

Shots off target: Crawley 7, City 3.

Corners: Crawley 17, City 2.

Fouls conceded: Crawley 12, City 13.

Offsides: Crawley 0, City 0.

Referee: Nick Kinseley (Essex). Rating: a litte excessive in his award of yellow cards but did well to stay in control.

Attendance: 2,945 (237 from City).

Save of the match: Ingham’s 22nd-minute stop from Tubbs.

Mistake of the match: Mackin’s foul for the penalty.

Head to head - Chris Smith v Richard Brodie

As in the home match against Crawley, City’s captain once more had the measure of one-time Bootham Crescent favourite Brodie.

Starting with the bit between his teeth, Brodie charged around with purpose during the early stages but gradually got dispirited as Smith repeatedly got the better of him.

Brodie’s frustration manifested itself in a nasty challenge on the visiting skipper that warranted the yellow card he was shown and, when he was substituted on 66 minutes, the hosts were still trailing 1-0.