A disappointing first-half showing by an Alty side shorn of its wingers had them losing 2-1 at the interval against a lively York City. The Minstermen dominated the opening stages and deservedly took the lead after nine minutes. The goal came from a corner, conceded by a great save by Ross from an Akinyemi shot. The corner from the left was nodded back to Harriott to slot home.

Alty improved midway through the half and they deservedly levelled with a well-taken goal by Conn-Clarke from a Banks feed (37 mins).

But within ninety seconds Altrincham conceded a second goal as Roscoe erred on the left and Akimyemi fed Harriott who netted.

When Phil Parkinson finally brought on Kosylo and Amaluzor, the two combined within a minute of arriving on the pitch. Kosylo netted from close range, after Amaluzor's shot had been pushed out to him by the keeper, to make it 2-2 (66 mins).

Both sides went looking for a winner but, despite eight added minutes, it ended 2-2.

SCORERS:

• 9 mins: Dipo AKINYEMI (York City 1 ALTRINCHAM 0)
• 37 mins: Chris CONN-CLARKE (York City 1 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 39 mins: Callum HARRIOTT (York City 2 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 66 mins: Matty KOSYLO (York City 2 ALTRINCHAM 2)

Manager Phil Parkinson sprang a surprise bringing in Sam Roscoe and Joey Jones for their first starts of the season, as he rested wingmen Matty Kosylo and Justin Amaluzor, who both moved to the bench.

Before kick-off York had made a post-warm-up change as Woodyard dropped out, McLaughlin started and Hancox was added to the bench. The manager mysteriously intimated after the match that one or players had let him down before the game started.

For this game City reverted to a 4-3-3 system to try and kick-start their season.

LINE-UPS:

YORK CITY (Red & blue): 13. David Stockdale, 5. Tyler Cordner, 6. Paddy McLaughlin, 8. Olly Dyson, 9. Dipo Akinyemi, 10. Quevin Castro, 12. Callum Harriott, 15. Callum Howe, 22. Levi Andoh, 23. Zanda Sizibah, 30. Alex Woodyard, 36. Thierry Latty-Fairweather. Subs: 11. Maz Kouhyar, 14. Lenell John-Lewis, 25. Maison Campbell, 19. Dan Pybus, 16. Mitch Hancox

ALTRINCHAM (All dark blue with yellow sash on shirts): 29. Ethan Ross, 2. Lewis Banks, 3. Eddy Jones, 8. Isaac Marriott, 5. James Jones (c), 4. Lewis Baines, 6. Elliot Osborne, 9. Regan Linney, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 16. Sam Roscoe, 22. Joey Jones. Subs: 14. Dior Angus, 11. Justin Amaluzor, 15. Jake Cooper, 19. George Wilson, 7. Matty Kosylo.

In recent years Altrincham had beaten York in six successive meetings in league and cup competitions whilst, historically, York had had by far the better record at National League level.

At kick-off, Alty were unbeaten after two games this season whilst York had lost both of their fixtures, to date.

Marriott kicked off for Alty but York were the first to threaten as a low Latty-Fairweather effort from the left was only held by Ross at the second attempt (1 min). However, Altrincham had an excellent chance to take an early lead when Conn-Clarke put Linney through but the striker's poor touch wasted the opening (4 mins). There was a shaky start for Joey Jones on his Alty debut as he lost the ball twice in quick succession and losing possession cheaply was to become recurrent for Alty in the early stages of the match.

With Alty on the back foot, a superb shot by Castro was brilliantly pushed over the bar by Ross for a corner. From the left, Alty's recurrent weakness at corners manifested itself again as a York player won the first ball and knocked it back for Akinyemi to sweep into the net (9 mins).

The new guidelines on dissent saw the York manager booked on the sidelines (12 mins) before Ross was again required to make an excellent save as he tipped a fine curling shot from Akinyemi out for a corner (17 mins). This was again poorly defended as Castro won a header which Ross gathered (18 mins). Goalkeeper Ross was facing the club for which he played the latter part of last season on loan.

Things looked up a little for the visitors as Eddy Jones's freekick from thirty yards drew a save from Stockdale and earned a corner (20 mins) Sadly Eddy overhit the corner.

A looping shot by Zanda Sizibah now earned York their own corner, soon afterwards, as Alty continued to labour and make unforced errors through the middle of the first half.

Sizibah soon fired at goal again, this time too high, (25 mins) before, at last, a good passing move was constructed by Alty at the end of which Conn-Clarke forced an excellent save from Stockdale which gave Alty a corner (26 mins).

Linney soon earned another corner but, just before the half-hour, Eddy Jones was booked for a foul (29 mins).

Alty were now improving and, soon, Andoh was booked for a silly shirt-pull (34 mins)

With York surviving a plausible appeal for a back-pass being handled by the keeper, Altrincham finally got the reward for their mid-half improvement. Osborne found the advancing Banks on the right and he fed Conn-Clarke, who cleverly sold the keeper a dummy before slotting the ball home (37 mins).

But parity lasted barely 90 seconds as Roscoe failed to deal with a York probe on the City right and Akenyemi was allowed to get free. With Ross committed, Harriott knocked the ball past the wrong-footed keeper to restore his side's lead (39 mins).

Things did not improve as Alty lost the ball again before the hosts gained a corner off Joey Jones (41 mins). Despite the new refereeing guidelines, goalkeeper Stockdale was allowed to time-waste as the 45 minute-mark approached.

Five added minutes were proclaimed and in the fifth minute Linney was felled on the front edge of the box but Conn-Clarke's freekick was poor, clearing the bar comfortably.

Alty gained an early corner after Joey Jones had fed Conn-Clarke (48 mins), after which Dyson shot wide for York from the edge of the box (50 mins). Then, after Harriott had fouled Marriott, Conn-Clarke had another chance to take a freekick but, once again, he skied it badly (52 mins).

Marriott was soon afterwards booked for a foul (54 mins) before Alty enjoyed a dominant spell. After a good move had ended in a blocked Linney shot an Eddy Jones cross earned a corner, which York struggled to clear (56 mins). Another Alty corner came and went before the hosts won two in a minute as the game reached the hour mark.

Following a booking for Latty, for a foul on Linney, a Conn-Clarke snapshot was saved by Stockdale's legs.

Alty now made a double change, with attacking intent, as Kosylo and Amaluzor came on for Baines and Joey Jones (64 mins).

The change had an immediate effect as the two combined to level the score. Following a throw on the right Amaluzor got in a shot which Stockdale spilt, leaving a simple conversion for Kosylo (66 mins).

Next, Hancox replaced Latty (70 mins) before a McLaughlin shot was deflected for a corner (70 mins). Following this, Akinyemi curled an effort over the bar, the striker proving a threat throughout this game after excelling for Ayr United last season.

Play was end to end as Amaluzor chased a long ball before colliding with Stockdale (73 mins). He was not booked, but shortly afterwards, Akinyemi was cautioned, before Linney was subbed by Angus (74 mins).

Sizibah was replaced by the Afghan player, Kouhyar (75 mins). With ten minutes of normal time remaining, John-Lewis replaced Dyson.

But Altrincham were looking for a winner, as they gained three corners in the final four minutes of normal time. From the first, they should have scored as Roscoe rose at the back post for a clean header but he directed the ball across, rather than at, goal.

Eight added minutes had been found by the referee and, in the first of these, Ross had to save smartly, low down, pushing away an Akinyemi shot.

Harriott was now booked for a foul on Angus before Alty won another corner (90+2 mins).

Angus now wasted a good chance from a Conn-Clarke feed (90+4 mins) before a York man was booked for a foul on Kosylo (90+5 mins).

The game ended a draw which was a fair outcome, with Alty improving markedly after a poor start.