York City 2, Southport 2

York City managed six times as many goal attempts as their opponents on Saturday but a recurring failure to convert chances is now contributing to a slightly concerning home record of two wins from six for Billy McEwan's men.

Despite rescuing a draw courtesy of Lee Hoolickin's 75th-minute own goal, this match was a case of two points dropped for the Minstermen against a Southport team who, by scoring twice, doubled their tally in away matches this season.

On the evidence of this game, it is hardly surprising that the Sandgrounders have struggled to find the net on their travels.

The visitors rarely ventured into City's box, with Tom Evans making just one save all afternoon from a weakly-struck Tony Gray effort which would have struggled to reach the back of the net.

At the other end, South-port's shaky defence was not much more impressive.

Playing a high line up the pitch, Southport's flat back four seemed tailor-made for Clayton Donaldson's pace, and City's six-goal top scorer and his striking partner Craig Farrell breached the visitors' defence countless times.

But City failed to capitalise with Donaldson, in particular, looking indecisive when presented with clear runs on goal.

It was a dozing Minstermen defence, however, that gifted Southport the lead after just 24 seconds.

An Evans clearance travelled only as far as Joe Fowler just inside the City half.

His header sailed over a static home defence and a grateful Gray ran through to round an upright Evans and score.

City responded two minutes later with a low Lewis Mc-Mahon shot which narrowly missed the target from 20 yards.

Farrell then released Donaldson with an astute pass but the 22-year-old striker fired straight at advancing keeper Ryan Robinson.

Next, Robinson kept out a well-struck drive from Farrell, who sent Donaldson clear again moments later only for his shot to be parried by the keeper.

A Neal Bishop effort from the edge of the box whistled narrowly wide before City scored a deserved equaliser.

Quick thinking from McMahon found Donaldson on the right flank and his cross was met by an excellent first-time finish from Farrell, ending the former Exeter striker's 11-game wait to open his City account.

Farrell almost added a second two minutes later, charging clear on goal from a long Darren Craddock pass, but his feet got in a tangle and he eventually stumbled into recovering defender Michael Powell.

Craddock and Farrell combined in similar fashion on 32 minutes but, this time, the City striker cut inside Powell before unleashing a left-footed effort that flashed just past Robinson's top corner.

The Minstermen were firmly in the ascendancy and Southport's second goal two minutes later was, therefore, as unexpected as their first.

Nathan Peat, playing as a makeshift centre-back in the absence of David McGurk and James Dudgeon, blocked a Gray cross from the right but Liam Blakeman left McMahon trailing in his wake to seize on the loose ball and beat Evans with an emphatic finish into the top right corner from 15 yards.

City still had opportunities to go into the break on level terms, with Farrell seeing a shot on the turn deflected wide, Bishop heading inches over and McMahon missing from 20 yards.

In the second half, City did not attack Southport with the same intensity, but Farrell fired into the side-netting after a one-two with Craddock on the hour mark and Martyn Woolford went close with two long-range efforts, clipping the crossbar with his second attempt on 70 minutes.

Woolford also provided the 75th-minute cross that brushed the head of Steve Bowey and led to City's second equaliser after the ball was directed past Robinson by Hoolickin's head.

More confusion in the visitors' defence then saw the ball land at the feet of Mark Convery in the six-yard box on 82 minutes but an alert Robinson blocked the City substitute's shot.

Finally, Donaldson allowed Hoolickin to catch him after Peat's header had sent him clear in stoppage time, and the Southport left-back survived penalty appeals when he appeared to handle the former Hull City striker's eventual cross.

Match facts

York City 2 (Farrell 21, Hoolickin (og) 77); Southport 2 (Gray 1, Blakeman 34)York City: Evans 6, Craddock 7, Peat 6, Parslow 7, Lloyd 6, Bishop 6 (Panther, 67, 6), McMahon 7 (Convery, 46, 6), Bowey 6, Woolford 7, Donaldson 6, Farrell 8.

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire Sub (not used): Webster, Hollingsworth, Reid.

Star man: Craig Farrell - the striker kept plugging away and deserved his goal.

Southport: Ryan Robinson, Stephen Rowland (Chris Lane, 56), Michael Powell, Paul Martin, Lee Hoolickin, Liam Blakeman, Mark Boyd (James Olsen, 32), Joe Fowler (Awen Douglas, 67), Alex Smith, Dino Maamria, Tony Gray.

Subs not used: John Bagnall, Mark Jackson.

Yellow cards: Craddock 26, Blakeman 40, Fowler 41, Olsen 68, Douglas 90.

Referee: Peter Quinn (Middlesbrough).

Rating: did little wrong.

Attendance: 2,446.

Weather watch: Sunny and warm.

Game breaker: Southport's second goal, which was scored at a stage when City were threatening to run away with the game.

Match rating: Hard to fathom how City were scrapping for a point in the late stages of a game they dominated for long periods.

Billy's verdict: "We created that many chances that my pen ran dry but we could not put enough away."

Player watch: Anthony Lloyd

Shots on target: 0
Shots off target: 0
Blocked shots: 1
Passes to own player: 23
Passes to opposition: 10
Crosses to own player: 1
Crosses to opposition: 4
Pass success rate: 70.6 per cent
Dribbles ball retained: 0 Dribbles ball lost: 1 Dribble success rate: 0 per cent
Free-kicks won: 2
Free-kicks conceded: 0
Headers: 16
Tackles: 3
Offsides: 0
Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 10
Bookings: 0
Final summary: The left-back did not let his side down, but, like several of his team-mates, did not impose himself greatly on the game. His distribution was sometimes a bit wayward but he impressed in the air, winning 16 headers. Unusually for a defender, he also played 90 minutes without conceding a foul.