A MUCH-IMPROVED York City arrested a run of back-to-back defeats on Saturday with a thoroughly deserved 1-1 draw at home to National League North leaders Gateshead.
Clayton Donaldson bundled in an 81st-minute equaliser, five minutes after Cedwyn Scott put the Heed ahead.
Positively for City, Donaldson's goal was not a smash-and-grab effort - rather, the second-half substitute was building on the hard-working foundations his team-mates had laid.
Here are five things we learned.
1. City can compete with top sides in the division
Watching high-flying Kidderminster ease 3-0 past York was a worrying indication for the Minstermen's chances should they make the play-off cut. Watching the defeat to Bradford Park Avenue gave much the same sinking feeling.
But the draw against Gateshead was heartening. It showed City can stand up to the leading sides in National League North and come away with a deserved result.
Gateshead were good - there is a reason they are top of the table, after all - and better in a number of areas, but City gave a focused performance to make sure the Heed were only marginally on top in each of those areas.
2. Improvements are still needed
Playing with heart is no doubt encouraging, but it is only half the story. As boss John Askey admitted afterwards, York were not at their best, and they will need more yet if they are to start beating sides like Gateshead.
Up front, Kurt Willoughby will regret not having been able to find firmer contact in the first half to finish off at the back post from Matty Brown's knock-down, while centre-halves Brown and Maxim Kouogun were both caught flat-footed at the back at times from Gateshead's - admittedly silky - forward play.
It was, though, a valuable start.
3. Consistency could be on its way
York coaches, players and fans have been calling for it since day one. It is of limited worth putting in performances which earn good results against good sides if they are followed up with aimless capitulations.
For various reasons - Covid-enforced postponements, a lengthy rotating injury list, or an inexplicable malaise on the pitch, to name a few - City's season has been up-and-down.
But now, with almost all players back available, York could be looking at being able to name a regular starting 11 each week. If heads and hearts remain in the right place, that will go some way to boosting the baseline level of performance.
4. Blyth will be a good first test
In among a slew of rescheduled fixtures, York have a rare full week of training before returning to match action.
They should be making sure their expectations for performance levels do not drop with the standing of their North East opposition - 17 places separate table-toppers Gateshead and the 18th-placed Spartans - and they should be able to do so with a more-or-less full squad.
5. New signings might soon drop
The time has almost come. The transfer window for the Premier League and the Football League shuts at 11pm on Monday night, and Askey will now be able to go into the market without players' heads being turned by teams higher up the ladder.
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