YORK City's winning run came to an end on Saturday as Glen Taylor scored a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Spennymoor Town.

Michael Woods gave York a fifth-minute advantage as the hosts started brightly and sharply, but afterwards struggled to hold onto possession, while Spennymoor impressed on the ball.

York were missing the outlet of Jake Cassidy, and the enforced early substitution of Harry Bunn surely did not help.

Spennymoor, meanwhile, did not pose too imminent a danger to Pete Jameson's goal, despite their possession, but got the goal they will feel they deserved in the 84th minute when Taylor rose to head home a corner.

City remain fourth in National League North with at least two games in hand over the teams around them, but drop to nine points off leaders Gloucester City.

There were two enforced changes for City from the midweek win over Kettering Town. Striker Cassidy was suspended after collecting two yellow cards against Chester and Scott Barrow was left out, having come off on Tuesday night following a rough challenge.

Woods started in midfield alongside Paddy McLaughlin and Akil Wright, while Jack Redshaw came in for his third start in four outings.

Manager Steve Watson deployed a back four again, though this time it was with the predominantly left-footed Sean Newton in Barrow's berth on the wing. Kieran Kennedy and Matty Brown held the centre of the defence.

Spennymoor Town arrived at Bootham Crescent with manager of 14 years Jason Ainsley having left his post on Friday. Assistant Tommy Miller assumed the role of interim manager in his stead.

Miller made three changes to the side that lost late on to Brackley Town in the week. Tyler Forbes, Mark Anderson and Ben McKenna came into the starting 11 for Adam Blakeman, Jason Kennedy and Scott McLean, the latter starting on the bench.

Former City centre-back Joe Tait started, with Adriano Moke also returning to Bootham Crescent, having been brought into the side as a substitute.

As was the case in midweek, York started with much of the possession and impressed in play on and off the ball.

Spennymoor squeezed away the first shot on goal but York got off the first one that mattered, with Woods getting the hosts ahead after just five minutes.

Olly Dyson again showed his ability with the ball at his feet and turned tightly past his man to set Redshaw away down the left. Redshaw pulled the ball for Newton, whose effort was parried into Woods’ path, and the midfielder put the rebound away.

A less welcome early development was the 15th-minute departure of Harry Bunn for Reon Potts. Bunn had received on-field treatment following a clash of heads a couple of minutes earlier.

Since the goal, Spennymoor had enjoyed perhaps a greater share of the ball but, aside from a couple of wayward efforts from distance, failed to really make a telling impression on the game in the opening half. Their first effort on target, from Ryan Hall, was comfortably smothered by Jameson.

York’s work on the ball was a source of frustration and concern for those in the stands and home dugout. Too often, attempts to be intricate or cute fell flat, with even some fairly straightforward passes ending up back in Spenny possession. There was a nervy moment as a misplaced back-pass almost set two visiting forwards away – though they were unable to capitalise – before Newton got enough of a head on a cross to put Glen Taylor off at the back post.

Forbes neatly nutmegged McLaughlin down the left and, receiving the ball back from Rob Ramshaw, drilled his effort into the stands instead of cutting across it, illustrating the visitors’ strengths and deficiencies in the opening half.

With York playing against the tide for a significant portion of the half, it gave darting midfielders Woods, Wright and Dyson the chance to show their awareness in getting a foot on the ball at the right time and breaking Spennymoor’s flow.

Wright was shown yellow just before the break as he seemed to come down on a Spennymoor boot rather than the ball. The yellow and black shirt was back up swiftly after treatment.

The last action of the half was a good turn and near miss from Hall.

Spennymoor had the first attack of the half – a pull-back into the area destined for Taylor cut out just in time – and threatened to play their way into second-half dominance as well.

But York showed they could scrap their way into contention and with some fortunate bobbles brought about by sheer doggedness, they regained a toehold in the game.

Newton had a couple of efforts from set pieces – driving into the area from a very tight angle before trying to lob keeper Dale Eve from his own half – while Robbie Tinkler highlighted the necessity in getting to the ball first with an acrobatic clearance under pressure on the wing.

Reon Potts delivered a nice curling ball into the box for Woods, who got an effort away but was called offside.

At the other end, both Tinkler and McLaughlin got necessary blocks in from close-range efforts before Taylor headed the corner from the latter's clearance well over.

But with six minutes to go, Taylor was on the end of another corner - and this time did not miss. The ball was played to the back post and the striker rose well to head home. There was some dispute whether it was a corner in the first place. 

York went straight up the other end and came so close to rescuing the three points as Redshaw dinked a measured ball into the box but Woods' header came back off the crossbar and he could not turn in from the rebound.

Spennymoor's man in charge Miller was shown yellow late on.

York: Jameson 6, Tinkler 5, Kennedy 5, Brown 6, Newton 6, McLaughlin 5 (Spratt 79), Wright 6, Woods 6, Dyson 6, Bunn (Potts 5, 15), Redshaw 5. Subs not used: Flatters, Gamble, Guilfoyle.

Star man: Michael Woods. Was in the right place at the right time for the opener, busy across the pitch when York were out of possession, and came close to snatching a winner.

Goals: Woods (5)

Yellow cards: Wright, Redshaw, Tinkler

Spennymoor: Eve, Forbes, Curtis, Tait, Magnay, Anderson, Spencer, McKenna (Thompson 62), Ramshaw, Hall (Mulhern 71), Taylor. Subs not used: Buddle, Moke, McLean.

Goals: Taylor (84)

Yellow cards: Magnay, Miller

Attendance: 400

Stats for York / Spennymoor

Shots (on target): 5 (2) / 14 (4)

Corners: 1 / 9

Offsides: 1 / 2

Fouls: 16 / 8

Yellow cards: 3 / 2