York City drew 1-1 away from home at Aldershot Town in the Vanarama National League on Saturday afternoon.
The goal from Aldershot’s Aaron Jones looked to be the winner heading into additional time, however substitute Lenell John-Lewis’ late equaliser ensured the Minstermen come away from Hampshire with a point.
Manager Mikey Morton made two changes from Tuesday night’s score draw against Altrincham, with Maziar Kouhyar and Ryan Fallowfield coming into the starting XI in-place of Zanda Siziba and Thierry Latty-Fairweather.
Aldershot carved the first chance of the game after just two minutes when Ollie Harfield found space down the left to open up and take aim, but his shot found only the side-netting.
City ‘keeper David Stockdale sprung into action just two minutes later, denying Jack Barham down the right, after Aldershot’s Lorent Tolaj nicked the ball in midfield to force a Shots attack.
York sparked into life in the 12th minute to register their first shot at Jordi Van Stappershoef’s goal. A driving run from Levi Andoh, which included bodying the Aldershot player to retain the ball, resulted in a tame near-post strike.
The hosts continued to threaten most with a flurry of chances coming in the 20th minute. Barham failed to connect on a close-range header, with the ball then falling to Aaron Jones who cutback to Tolaj, but the attacker’s effort was blocked in the area.
Ten minutes later, Fallowfield’s looping cross looked to be challenging the Shots ‘keeper unintentionally as the wind took it just past the bar.
Quevin Castro got amongst the action in the 39th minute when latching onto a long-ball which Dipo Akinyemi pressed at, but the subsequent shot from distance goes wide.
Aldershot took the lead two minutes later when Aaron Jones latched onto a Jack Barham link-up down the right-hand side, driving into the area to cooly slot his shot in from a tight angle.
Olly Dyson looked to get City going again in the attacking third just before half time, pickpocketing the Aldershot player to drive and strike a testing effort which was tipped over the bar.
At half time, goalkeeper David Stockdale made way for Maison Campbell after falling down to injury a handful of times throughout the first half.
Lenell John-Lewis, who also came on following half time, and Andoh linked up in the 54th minute, carving a change which saw the striker glance a header narrowly wide.
The striker again looked to be a nuisance for the Shots’ defence four minutes later as he does well to swivel inside the area and open up the chance to shoot, which was comfortably stopped by the ‘keeper.
In the 60th minute, Akinyemi struck a tight-angled shot sweetly from the right-hand side as the Minstermen continued to grow into the second half.
After a quiet 15-minute period, the hosts created two openings within quick succession in the 77th minute. Substitute Kwame Thomas saw his opening blocked off by former Shots defender Tyler Cordner, who put his body on the line to keep the Minstermen in it.
In the 81st minute Shots substitute Ryan Glover showed his pace to cut in down the left-hand side, gliding towards goal and hitting his shot firmly over.
City were rewarded for their efforts late in the 90+3rd minute when substitute Lenell John-Lewis was in the right place at the right time to thump in the equaliser, having been picked out by Akinyemi in the area.
Late pressure from both sides could’ve seen either team take all three points, but the points were shared at the EBB Stadium after over a hundred minutes of football.
ALDERSHOT TOWN: Van Stappershoef, Mnoga, Harfield, Harries, Rowe, O’Keefe © (18’ Burnett), Frost, Tolaj (59’ Kwame Thomas), Stokes (78’ Glover), Jones, Barham.
SUBS NOT USED: Scott, Mullins, Thomas.
YORK CITY: Stockdale (GK) (46’ Campbell), Fallowfield, Cordner, McLaughlin ©, Dyson, Akinyemi, Castro (46’ John-Lewis), Kouhyar, Harriott (69’ Siziba), Howe, Andoh.
SUBS NOT USED: Hancox, Latty-Fairweather
ATTENDANCE: 2,098 (308 York Supporters)