JAKE HYDE’S red card cost York City dear in a 2-2 draw at Luton Town.

The Minstermen were well placed to become the first League Two side to win at Kenilworth Road for five months after two goals in four second-half minutes from Josh Carson and Emile Sinclair gave the visitors a shock 2-0 lead.

But Hyde’s dismissal on the hour for a lunging challenge on Nathan Doyle gave the hosts a huge lift and substitute Marc Cullen’s brace had levelled the scores by 71 minutes.

City rallied, though, to safeguard a point with home captain Steve McNulty following Hyde down the tunnel on 85 minutes after an ugly tackle from behind on Brad Halliday.

Russ Wilcox employed a 4-2-3-1 formation with Halliday pushed into midfield, Marvin McCoy recalled at right-back and Michael Coulson handed a free role behind lone central striker Hyde.

Stephane Zubar was also recalled in defence with John McCombe dropping to the bench.

A cagey opening saw few clear-cut chances at either end with Ryan Hall clearing the crossbar from the edge of the box for Luton and Halliday’s shot from a similar distance comfortably gathered by home keeper Mark Tyler.

Sinclair, playing on the right flank, also fired well over from 20 yards and, after Luke Wilkinson’s weak 22nd-minute header called Bobby Olejnik into action for the first time, Jayden Stockley nodded wide from a left-wing Andy Drury free-kick.

An eight-yard effort by Hyde, meanwhile, was saved low to his right by Tyler but Drury missed the best opportunity of the half on 35 minutes.

Malvind Benning’s mistake allowed rapid on-loan Tottenham teenager Nathan Oduwa to sprint down the right flank.

He then squared the ball to Drury, who lifted an eight-yard attempt over with only Olejnik to beat.

Moments later, Stockley directed a far-post header straight at the City shot-stopper following Jake Howells’ left-wing cross before Coulson drove wide from a difficult angle for the Minstermen and Carson warmed Tyler’s hands from 25 yards.

McCoy went on to ensure the visitors stayed on level terms at the break, heading off the line after Stockley had risen highest to meet Hall’s corner in first-half stoppage time.

Luton started the second half positively with ex-Minsterman Jonathan Smith’s 25-yard drive pushed around his left-hand post by Olejnik.

But City forged in front on 55 minutes when Carson displayed great determination to get ahead of his marker and head in Coulson’s right-wing cross from four yards.

Four minutes later, the visitors doubled their advantage when Coulson jinked his way through the left channel and pulled the ball back from the byline to Sinclair, who found Tyler’s bottom right-hand corner with a low 15-yard shot.

But Hyde received his marching orders and, coupled with a wily double substitution by John Still, that moment handed the hosts the initiative.

Within five minutes, Cullen had swept in a corner from fellow replacement Shaun Whalley at the near post.

After Coulson had forced two saves at the other end, the pair then combined again to level the scores with Whalley’s right-wing cross headed in from five yards by Cullen.

It was ten versus ten, however, on 76 minutes when Doyle limped out of the action after Luton had made all three of their substitutions.

The hosts continued to press with McNulty heading wide from a free-kick by Whalley, whose attempted lob was also caught by Olejnik.

An extraordinary evening then saw McNulty given his marching orders for pole-axing Halliday from behind and, after Russell Penn drove wide from 30 yards and Coulson went close with a free kick, a lame Doyle was summoned back on to the pitch in the 86th minute. Benning went on to curl over from the edge of the box deep into stoppage time and Keith Lowe scuffed a shot at Tyler after more good work down the left by Coulson.

A fine save from Oduwa’s 25-yard strike then called an end to a breathtaking encounter.


Match facts

York City

Bobby Olejnik 8, Marvin McCoy 8, Keith Lowe 8, Stephane Zubar 8, Malvind Benning 7, Michael Coulson 9, Russell Penn 8, Brad Halliday 8, Josh Carson 8, Jake Hyde 6, Emile Sinclair 8.

Subs: Wes Fletcher (for Sinclair, 76), Lindon Meikle (for Carson, 76). Not used: Femi Ilesanmi, John McCombe, Lewis Montrose, Tom Platt, Michael Ingham.

Luton

Mark Tyler, Michael Harriman, Steve McNulty, Luke Wilkinson (Alex Lacey, 53), Jake Howells, Jonathan Smith, Andy Drury (Mark Cullen, 56), Nathan Doyle, Nathan Oduwa, Jayden Stockley, Ryan Hall (Shaun Whalley, 64).

Subs not used: Alex Wall, Elliot Justham, Luke Guttridge, Matt Robinson.

Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey).

Red cards: Hyde 60, McNulty 85.

Bookings: Smith 84, Olejnik 89, McCoy 96.

Attendance: 7,763 (173 away fans).

Shots on target: Luton 10 City 9.

Shots off target: Luton 7 City 6.

Corners: Luton 5, City 3.

Fouls conceded: Luton 15, City 9.

Offsides: Luton 2 City 0.