YORK City missed a chance to extend their lead at the top of the National League North table with following a 1-1 draw at AFC Telford United.

With King's Lynn Town and Chester sharing a 2-2 draw, the table's top three have not changed.

After a largely uninspiring first half, Jordan Burrow broke the deadlock with a confident finish from an excellent team move. The lead lasted just a few minutes though before James McQuilkin headed home an equaliser.

This was again not York City at their best and - despite a mostly confident performance at the back, especially in the opening 45 - there was not a lot to rave about going forward.

That said, there were still some lovely passages of play in and around the area and, with better finishing, City could have taken all three points - but the same could be said of Telford. In all, a draw was probably a fair result.

Bucks manager Gavin Cowan made five changes from the side that lost 3-1 at Blyth Spartans last week, with three new signings – Derby County loan keeper Matt Yates, former Everton Academy defender Arlen Birch and Matt Stenson – all making their debuts.

Also in the starting 11 was Ellis Deeney – the younger brother of Watford striker Troy – and Aaron Williams, the side’s top scorer so far this term with three goals.

Two-goal strikers Darryl Knights and Marcus Dinanga started the day as substitutes, and were joined on the bench by the late addition of Jonathan Royle after recent signing from Bradford Park Avenue Riccardo Caulder pulled up in the warm-up.

Right-sided wing-back Nathan Dyer earns another start in the absence of Kallum Griffiths.

Other changes from last week’s FA Cup tie saw Peter Jameson return between the sticks and Alex Kempster regain his starting place, with Elliott Durrell and Kyle McFarlane dropping to the bench.

But the big change was the reinstatement of club captain Steve McNulty’s name in the back three after a month and a half out with a hamstring injury.

McNulty's early involvement in the game bespoke the composure he is renowned for, first glancing a delicate header back to Jameson with Williams bearing down on him before firmly clearing a potentially dangerous cross to the near post.

A sixth-minute foul on Jordan Burrow yielded a free kick which was patiently worked into the area, but from Kempster’s cut-back, Andy Bond scuffed his effort wide of the left-hand upright.

It was not one-way traffic, though, and in the 12th minute, Stenson played through for Williams, who tried to round McNulty in the area but the veteran shielded him off well.

Sixteen minutes in, David Ferguson missed an outstanding chance to put the visitors ahead. The left-back worked his way into the area following good interplay with Kempster and, with the Telford defence at sea, received the latter’s cutback only to the fire wide.

Burrow went into the book for making heavy contact with the head of Stenson, who received a couple of minutes’ treatment before continuing.

Ferguson’s effort aside, it was a game of half-chances as both sides struggled to create. Just before the half-hour, Paddy McLaughlin picked up yet another stray pass from the hosts and, with no runners ahead of him, drove wide from 25 yards.

In similar style to last weekend, York were putting in too many balls with no one on the end of them and, with half-time approaching, subsequent crosses from Sean Newton and Dyer were easily cleared by defenders, while Yates was responsible for some brave claiming.

McLaughlin was almost played through by Kempster – who was having a quiet game by his standards – but the ball got caught under his feet.

For the final third of the first half, York looked solid and Telford had very few chances to speak of. There was, however, a spark lacking up front for the Minstermen.

A goalless half-time scoreline was on the cards and hard to argue with, though Telford pushed well in injury time and it needed an excellent recovery from Newton to stop Williams crossing in a dangerous area after the York man gave the ball away cheaply.

The second half opened with a far better corner from Ferguson, who put an outswinger to the near post for Burrow to attack. It was put out for another corner, which this time was easily collected by Yates.

Ten minutes in, Stenson went the closest yet to breaking the deadlock, getting in behind McNulty – who left a long Yates clearance to bounce – and lobbed Jameson, only to strike the corner of the right-hand post and crossbar.

It livened the fans, the game and – crucially – York right up.

And Burrow put York ahead from a fantastically-worked moved in the 58th minute. Starting out in the attacking third on the right, City worked the ball over the Ferguson on the opposite flank through McLaughlin, Bond and Moke. Ferguson played into the path of Newton on the overlap and he delivered onto the edge of the six-yard area for Burrow to dispatch.

Telford should have had an immediate response but Williams – who was fortunate to have the ball bounce into his path in the area – blazed over under little pressure.

A couple of minutes on, a touch more luck could have yielded another chance as Theo Streete chested the ball into the path of Stenson, but Jameson was quick to nick it off him.

No luck was needed with the equaliser though. James McQuilkin rose well in the area and headed beyond Jameson from a free kick.

Buoyed, Williams then came close to a second for Telford but his effort from outside the area was just over.

Burrow had an excellent chance to add to his tally with just over 15 minutes remaining. He collected Kempster’s nod down in the area and lofted a pass out to Ferguson, who duly delivered back in. The striker hammered his shot straight at Yates.

York looked to be in danger at the other end when the backline was caught completely cold and Stenson was sent running through on goal, but Jameson did very well to get out and smother the danger, before doing the same from Williams off the rebound.

Telford: Yates, Lilly, Daniels, Deeney, Sass-Davies, Streete, Birch (White 78), Walker, Stenson (Dinanga 85), Williams, McQuilkin. Subs not used: Royle, Knights, Lait.

Goals: McQuilkin

Yellow cards: McQuilkin

York: Jameson 8, Dyer 7, Tait 7, McNulty 8, Newton 7, Ferguson 7, Moke 7 (Green 77), Bond 7 (McFarlane 84), McLaughlin 7 (Durrell 67), Kempster 6, Burrow 7. Subs not used: Whitley, Spratt.

Star man: Steve McNulty. Made a calm, composed return to action and his mistakes could be counted on one hand. Caught off-guard on a couple of occasions but his sharpness will surely return.

Goals: Burrow

Yellow cards: Burrow, Newton

Referee: Mr Richard Aspinell

Attendance: 1,305