Adam Crookes' late goal rescues York City 1-1 draw at Boreham Wood

The defender struck in the final minute of added time, firing a close-range header back across goal and into the bottom corner amid a goal-mouth scramble to maintain the Minstermen’s unbeaten start to 2024.

City had earlier fallen behind to Chris Bush’s outrageous 35-yard lob, with George Sykes-Kenworthy unable to prevent the ball from bouncing over the line after making an initial fingertip save.

But in a match devoid of much quality from either side in the final third, a sixth consecutive draw in this fixture was a fair result.

The Minstermen can be encouraged however, with new signing Billy Chadwick a stout addition in attack, both in roles on the left of City’s front three and as a deeper number 10.

RECAP: Boreham Wood 1-1 York City

Neal Ardley made one change from the side that began the New Year with victory over Gateshead on Monday, handing Chadwick his debut after joining the club from Stockport County in midweek, with Paddy McLaughlin dropping to the bench.

And the lively forward came within a whisker of opening his account for the Minstermen just four minutes into proceedings, carving out space for himself on the edge of the box before whistling a low strike narrowly past the post with Nathan Ashmore scrambling.

Sykes-Kenworthy was then forced into his first save of the match after Will Davies lost possession in midfield, gathering Lee Ndlovu’s weak effort.

Set-piece opportunities began to fall the hosts’ way, but they found themselves wasteful. Debutant Josh Staunton could not fire goalwards after being found from a near-post corner just before the 15-minute mark, whilst a 25-yard free-kick was easily cleared by the City defence.

Tyrone Marsh was next to try his luck but could only blaze well over the crossbar.

York were restricted to counter-attacks, with Chadwick losing possession after being found unexpectedly on the edge of the box, before Ashmore was off his line quickly to intercept a floated ball into the box.

But Boreham Wood remained the more likely to break the deadlock, not least from a neat interchange between Marsh, Ndlovu and Angelo Balanta, with Sykes-Kenworthy spilling the latter’s effort before seeing his blushes spared by the offside flag.

Billy Chadwick made an impressive debut for the Minstermen, and was unlucky not to have found himself on the scoresheet. (Image: Tom Poole)

The hosts closed out the half with consecutive corners but it was the Minstermen who were left ruing perhaps their best chance of the match on the whistle, Ashmore doing just enough to deny Dipo Akinyemi with a low save to his left after the talismanic striker had met Ryan Fallowfield’s pin-point cross.

If the first half had been rather lacklustre, Boreham Wood showed their intention to spark the game to life after the interval, firing the first warning shot from the kick-off with a teasing delivery across goal that narrowly evaded Femi Ilesanmi as he stretched for the ball.

City came close to a response at the other end of the pitch, Akinyemi skipping through a trio of would-be challengers before feeding Will Davies on the edge of the box, but his effort proved comfortable for Ashmore.

Chadwick squandered another chance for the Minstermen as a free-kick was cleared to him on the edge of the box, but he could not keep his strike below the crossbar.

That spark though seldom materialised, and with both sides growing frustrated, the game grew physical, with Staunton and Fallowfield both cautioned for challenges in the final third.

Crookes could only direct his header into the advertising boards before the impressive Thierry Latty-Fairweather whistled a delivery across the face of goal, but it was Boreham Wood who saw the better of the chances as the match entered its final 20 minutes.

Marsh was a whisker away from turning Billy Sass-Davies’ cross past Sykes-Kenworthy after a flowing team move, and he came even closer to firing his side in front three minutes later, drawing a point-blank save from the City stopper after Fallowfield had lost possession on the edge of the box.

McLaughlin’s introduction for Davies brought the Minstermen an added impetus, with Akinyemi the next to fire goalwards, but Ashmore was equal to his curling long-range strike.

York were though lucky to survive a goal-mouth scramble, Ndlovu, Sass-Davies and Marsh all seeing efforts blocked by Callum Howe and Sykes-Kenworthy as the hosts looked to make a breakthrough.

Thierry Latty-Fairweather was voted our Man of the Match after containing Boreham Wood's threat and offering City an attacking outlet on the left wing. (Image: Tom Poole)

Harrogate Town loanee Will Smith saw his volley fly narrowly wide from a City corner, but within 60 seconds, they found themselves behind.

Boreham Wood countered quickly but despite seemingly being content with keeping possession, Bush had other ideas, firing a speculative lob goalwards from 35 yards after spotting Sykes-Kenworthy off his line.

Though the shot-stopper was able to get a hand to it, he could only watch on as the ball bounced into the back of an empty net.

Skipper Lenell John-Lewis was introduced into the action as York chased an equaliser, Chadwick missing a fantastic opportunity to do just that after a neat interchange between Fallowfield and Akinyemi, but he could only fire high and wide.

But, to their credit, the Minstermen did not give up, showing a fighting spirit that would likely have encouraged those in attendance.

After Akinyemi had seen his free kick tipped over the bar by Ashmore, City made the resultant corner count, Scott Burgess delivering to the penalty spot, where Crookes was on hand to power a header back across goal and into the bottom corner amid a scramble inside the box to send the travelling faithful into raptures.

BOREHAM WOOD: Ashmore, Ilesanmi, Bush, Whelan, Ndlovu, Marsh, Balanta (Appiah 75), Sousa (Coxe 90+2), Sass-Davies, Robinson, Staunton.

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: Abayomi, Clayden, Clarke.

GOALS: Bush (84)

YELLOW CARDS: Staunton (49)

YORK CITY: Sykes-Kenworthy, Fallowfield, Crookes, Davies (McLaughlin 73), Akinyemi, Howe, Chadwick, Burgess, Woodyard, Latty-Fairweather (John-Lewis 86), Smith.

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: Cordner, Dyson, Kennedy

GOALS: Crookes (90+3)

YELLOW CARDS: Fallowfield (54), Woodyard (78), Crookes (86)

HALF TIME: 0-0

YORK’S STAR MAN: Thierry Latty-Fairweather. The defender looked assured in City’s back five, containing Boreham Wood’s threat as well as linking up well in attack.

ATTENDANCE: 1307 (367)

REFEREE: Gary Parsons