Rarely can a match that had threatened so little at the turn offer so much by the end.

City signed off their home campaign with an incident-packed encounter containing more spills and thrills in the final 45 minutes than the previous 2000-and-odd that had gone mercilessly before.

Two goals and an astonishing three red cards adorned the day, and lit up an fulsome second period which visitors Halifax will want to forget in a hurry.

But as welcome as all that was, what really got the pulses racing and lifted the docile atmosphere was the second-half introduction of John Williams and City's brat pack of James Turley, Marc Thompson and young debutant Kieran Darlow.

What Turley lacks in height he makes up for in heart.

Despite having the added pressure of knowing time is running out if he is to win a new contract, Turley refused to hide after missing two good opportunities and eventually got his just rewards for a tireless display with City's decisive opener.

Youth trainee Marc Thompson's meteoric rise shows little sign of abating and after a quiet first half grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck with a series of telling tackles and carefully considered passes.

And after a season when City fans have been calling out for a winger how heartening to see a fearless Darlow, still only 17 and a first year trainee, ghosting past defenders as if from a bygone age while providing substance too with some telling deliveries.

A home win and a tasty glimpse into the future; it was a final flurry worth waiting for and made all the more remarkable after a dead as a dodo first half.

For as has become the norm of late, City seemed intent on ensuring their safety belts were tightly fastened before daring to drive forward in a stale opening period.

Indeed, so poor was the fare on show that most of the City fans' attention was drawn to the belly of a semi-naked Halifax fan bouncing up and down the terracing of the Grovesnor Road end.

Town pressed with the greater purpose as first Robbie Painter flashed a shot right across the face of the City goal from an acute angle before Alan Reilly directed his header just the wrong side of the post.

It was 20 minutes before City showed signs of stirring themselves and finally mustered an effort on goal.

Alcide flicked on, for the umpteenth time, a punt out of defence which Turley latched on to but was cleverly ushered away from goal by Graham Mitchell before dragging his shot wide.

Soon after, the youngster went closer when, with his back to goal, he flicked the ball with the outside of his boot just over the bar from Jordan's cross.

But it was tepid stuff made worse when Halifax were forced to withdraw an injured Kerrigan and City boss Terry Dolan chose to make a tactical switch by removing the out of sorts Paul Talbot from the fray and replacing him with Darlow.

City 'keeper Alan Fettis saved well a stiff Craig Middleton drive down to his right and from his long clearance another Alcide flick put Turley in the clear again.

This time the diminutive striker struck it cleanly but the ball, always on the rise, sailed over the meeting of post and bar.

In truth, a game that already lacked any ebb or flow was floundering even more after the substitutions, and the half-time whistle, for fans, players and managers alike, couldn't come soon enough.

The second half was barely a minute old when a tigerish Turley gave an indication that things were looking up - trying his luck from range with a curling effort that sailed not too far over the crossbar.

With Dolan's stinging rebukes no doubt still ringing in their ears, City were like a side transformed as Halifax were pushed on to the back foot by the twin propellers of Darlow and Thompson.

A goal seemed inevitable and so it proved.

Substitute Williams laid the ball back to Martin Reed who promptly played the flying front man in behind the Halifax defence.

Williams galloped away and into the corner before firing in a low cross to the far post that Turley prodded home with glee.

Worse was to follow for Halifax as defender Paul Stoneman, already booked after scything down Scott Jordan in the first minute, picked up a needless second booking for dissent.

His argument that Turley was off-side when Reed played the ball forward was perhaps justified but the manner of his altercation with the officials was certainly not.

Just as City were a side transformed so too were Halifax, a side now down to ten men and bereft of ideas and spirit.

Soon after, midfielder Alan Reilly followed Stoneman down the tunnel for a dangerous tackle from behind on Steve Agnew.

Two minutes later, Craig Middleton was also dismissed for his second yellow card.

It was bordering on the surreal, especially as City didn't seem quite sure how to make the most of their marked advantage.

Shots from distance seemed the order of the day before the Minstermen finally got the all-important second goal just a minute from the end.

Williams turned the ball inside for Jordan, bursting through from the centre of midfield, who carefully lifted it over Butler and into the corner of the net.

York City intermediates salvaged a point against Scunthorpe United in their penultimate fixture in the Youth Alliance Merit Premier Division North.

City were 2-0 down after 20 minutes. Scott Emmerson reduced the arrears on half-time and equalised midway through the second half.

The youngsters' final game of the season is on Wednesday with a rescheduled match against Bury at Wigginton Road training ground, kick-off noon.

City's unwanted records

Despite savouring a 2-0 victory over Halifax Town, York City recorded a hat-trick of unenviable records on Saturday.

Kieran Darlow's eye-catching debut means City have now used more players - 35 - this season than in any other in their history.

Saturday's two goals brought City's tally to just 20 scored at Bootham Crescent this season, one less than the previous all-time low of 21 recorded in the 1990-91 campaign.

And in further confirmation of City's poor showing in front of goal this season, this was the first season in the club's history when York have failed to score three in a home encounter.

In slightly better news, the Minstermen have at least equalled the previous all-time low of only 39 goals scored both home and away in the 1975-76 season.

City's unwanted records

Despite savouring a 2-0 victory over Halifax Town, York City recorded a hat-trick of unenviable records on Saturday.

Kieran Darlow's eye-catching debut means City have now used more players - 35 - this season than in any other in their history.

Saturday's two goals brought City's tally to just 20 scored at Bootham Crescent this season, one less than the previous all-time low of 21 recorded in the 1990-91 campaign.

And in further confirmation of City's poor showing in front of goal this season, this was the first season in the club's history when York have failed to score three in a home encounter.

In slightly better news, the Minstermen have at least equalled the previous all-time low of only 39 goals scored both home and away in the 1975-76 season.

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 7, Martin Reed 7, Peter Swan 7, Mark Bower 8, Marc Thompson 7, Steve Agnew 7, Scott Jordan 7, Peter Hawkins 7, James Turley 8 (Barry Conlon 86mins), Colin Alcide 6 (John Williams 59mins, 7), Paul Talbot 5 (Kieran Darlow 37mins, 8).
Subs not used: Russ Howarth, Chris Marshall
Goals: Turley, 63mins; Jordan 89mins
Bookings: Williams 70mins, unsporting conduct; Thompson 73mins, foul
Sent-off: None
Statistics: Half Time: 0 Corners: 7 Shots on Target: 6 Fouls Committed: 7
Evening Press Unique Pub Man of the match James Turley: The young striker shrug-ged off the disappointment of missing a couple of chances by bagging CityTMs decisive opener, rich reward for his tireless running and endeavour.
HALIFAX: Lee Butler, Chris Wilder, Paul Stoneman, Graham Mitchell, Mark Bradshaw (Robert Herbert 71mins), Robbie Painter (Mark Jules 71mins), Steve Gaughan, Craig Middleton, Alan Reilly, Steve Kerrigan (Ian Fitzpatrick 35mins), Gary Jones
York City Statistics Half Time: 0 Corners: 7 Shots on Target: 6 Fouls committed: 7
Subs, not used: Chris Clarke, Tony Parks
Goals: None
Bookings: Fitzpatrick 78mins, foul
Sent off: Stoneman 63mins, two bookable offences (foul, dissent); Reilly 77mins, violent conduct; Middleton 79mins, two bookable offences (two fouls);
Halifax Town Statistics Half Time: 0 Corners: 3 Shots on Target: 1 Fouls Committed: 13

Attendance: 3,079
Referee: Trevor Jones (Barrow in Furness)