YORK City ended their four-year return to the Football League with a 1-1 draw at Morecambe.

Luke Summerfield’s eighth goal of the season in first-half stoppage time gave the Minstermen the lead.

But Jamie Devitt ensured honours ended even with a spectacular reply early in the second period.

City might have had an early penalty when Kenny McEvoy was forced to jump over a lunging Lee Molyneux challenge but referee Ross Joyce turned down the visitors’ appeals.

At the other end, Kevin Ellison dragged a 25-yard effort wide and former City striker Shaun Miller drilled over from an acute angle after Summerfield had lost the ball in his own half.

A curling 30-yard Summerfield free kick, meanwhile, was comfortably gathered low to his left by Barry Roche.

City went on to survive a 26th-minute scare when Dave Winfield’s blunder played in Aaron Wildig, but recalled keeper Michael Ingham was quick off his line to save at the Morecambe midfielder’s feet.

Devitt also scooped over from the edge of the box for the Shrimps and a 35-yard Molyneux free kick was deflected off target.

The Minstermen missed an excellent chance to open the scoring on 41 minutes when Josh Carson blasted over from eight yards with the goal at his mercy after a stretching Summerfield had only been able to get a toe to Lewis Alessandra’s pull back from the left byline.

But, after Ingham tipped over a dipping Devitt attempt from the edge of the box, City forged ahead in the first minute of added-on time at the end of the half.

Summerfield picked up the ball in the Morecambe half and surged into the penalty box after exchanging passes with James Berrett before finding Roche’s bottom-left corner with a deliberate sidefooted shot from 15 yards.

On-loan Notts County defender Scot Bennett was still required to make a last-ditch tackle on Miller, however, to ensure the hosts did not get back on terms before the interval.

After the restart, Alessandra headed over after Carson had stretched his neck muscles to reach McEvoy’s deep right-wing cross to the far post.

But Devitt levelled with an excellent strike on 51 minutes.

Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he turned to beat Ingham with a thudding effort off the underside of the crossbar.

Within seconds, Ingham kept his team level, saving low to his left after Wildig tried to beat him with an effort, using the outside of his boot, after being played through by Miller.

The match began to swing from end to end with Alessandra shooting wide of the near post after cutting in from the left flank.

Alan Goodall, meanwhile, called Ingham into action from 30 yards and Devitt also went close from distance.

The Minstermen went on to miss two glorious opportunities in as many minutes.

First, Carson drove wide of a gaping goal after Bradley Fewster’s shot was blocked on the line by Molyneux following a crossfield ball by Summerfield that has released Alessandra through the left channel.

Then, McEvoy contrived to flick the ball wide from two yards in front of an inviting net following Carson’s low left-wing cross.

In between, manager Jackie McNamara’s decision to replace Fewster with Vadaine Oliver was met by a chorus of boos from the away supporters, who were watching the game with former favourite Richard Brodie.

Moments later, a sliding Oliver found the sidenetting from McEvoy’s dangerous right-wing cross to the far post.

Home sub Cole Stockton went close from 25 yards, meanwhile, on 78 minutes and fellow replacement Paul Mullin struck a half-volley against the roof of the stand with only Ingham to beat.

Mullin was also denied from the edge of the box by another good fingertip save by Ingham.

In response, City could not summon the grandstand finish needed to avoid ending the campaign with a club record low of just seven league wins.