Too much should never be read into friendlies, but still there was a quota of encouragement for York City from their share-all engagement with Huddersfield Town.

For large spells of a competitive, if hardly compelling, 1-1 clash the Minstermen were the over-riding force. It was not quite supremacy, but City's performance was solid and assured. Heartening too against a side of superior status.

The hosts also boasted a brace of admirable outings, notably from Andy McMillan and Martin Reed. McMillan proved his adaptability, convincing as first a centre-back and then as a wing-back after a second-half shuffle. Never was his tackling more crisp while he gave impetus to the City attack with breaks from the back.

Reed meanwhile relished his physical combat with Terriers' boot-clad outbuilding Wayne Allison. Their duel sparked and crackled, even if the overall encounter faded after a brisk opening.

It took a measured moment of treasure from Rodney Rowe against his old club to galvanise City, who initially struggled to get a kick against the slick movement of the Terriers.

But the 24th-minute raking shot from Paul Dalton that bruised the base of an upright was the apparent height of Town's ambition. From then on City dominated.

City's drive was fuelled by a cohesive midfield. Mark Tinkler and Steve Agnew directed moves, Alan Pouton punished Huddersfield with rippling runs. From one zip he left Steve Jenkins adrift, his low cross half-volleyed into the roof of the net by a jubilant Rowe.

That quality was absent throughout a tepid second-half until Dalton's equaliser seven minutes from time, the winger ferociously driving in a lay-off from Grant Johnson.

City old boy Paul Barnes, on for the final eight minutes, almost stole it. But his stooping header at the far post was pushed away by the otherwise under-employed Matthew Boswell. Parity was the least City merited.

YORK CITY: Boswell, McMillan, Thompson, Pouton (Garratt 72min), Reed, Agnew, Alleyne (Jones 63 ), Tinkler (Prendergast 80), Tolson (Cresswell 67), Rowe (Woods 80), Hall. Goal: Rowe 28.

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: Vaesen, Jenkins, Edwards, Browning (Richardson 58), Morrison, Collins, Dalton, Horne (Phillips 82), Stewart (Facey 67), Allison (Barnes 82), Johnson. Goal: Dalton 83.

Referee: Paul Robinson (Hull).

Attendance: 660.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.