YORK City gave once-mighty Leeds United more than a few scares on their Friday the 13th pre-season curtain-raiser at KitKat Crescent.

The Minstermen matched their newly-relegated League One visitors during last night's 0-0 draw and, encouragingly, their standard of performance did not noticeably dip despite wholesale half-time changes that saw all ten outfield players replaced.

All seven of City's new signings contributed to an entertaining spectacle which was played at a tempo that belied its mid-July calendar date.

During the first-half, Stuart Elliott and Mark Robinson, in particular, gave assured displays while, after the break, Onome Sodje offered glimpses of his menacing pace and Chris Beardsley looked a strong presence alongside him in attack.

After the break, Stephen Turnbull was very accomplished in possession and formed a busy and tidy central-midfield partnership with Ross Greenwood.

With three central defenders - Matt Bloomer, Brian Dutton and Carl Jones - on trial during the 90 minutes and former Blyth Spartans goalkeeper Adam Bartlett in goal for the last half-hour, the Minstermen will also be satisfied with a clean sheet from their first summer outing.

For Bartlett, his run-out proved a stern test of character in front of more than 2,000 Leeds fans, four of whom invaded the pitch during the evening, including a pair who decided to play a couple of one-twos between themselves as the City trialist prepared to take a goal-kick.

Earlier, City had almost forged ahead after just 41 seconds when skipper Manny Panther's header clipped the top of the crossbar from a Craig Farrell free-kick.

Manager Billy McEwan then demonstrated he has lost none of his passion over the summer, taking just seven minutes to berate York-based referee assistant Alfie Greenwood during strong appeals for an offside decision.

Later in the half, a clever back-heel by Richard Brodie created a chance for fellow striker Paul Brayson but he was denied a clean strike on goal by one of the rain-soaked pitch's many puddles.

A heroic diving header by David McGurk then ensured City went into the interval on level terms as he cleared Tom Elliott's shot off the line with Tom Evans beaten.

Turnbull announced his arrival five minutes into the second-half with a 20-yard effort that whistled narrowly wide and Beardsley forced a diving save from substitute 'keeper Nick Hammann shortly afterwards.

At the other end, Jermaine Beckford wasted Leeds' best opportunity of the match, evading two challenges after dispossessing City's trainee left-back Andy McWilliams before shooting woefully wide.

But Beardsley almost won the match for City, directing his downward header narrowly wide from an Alex Meechan corner on 83 minutes.

Match facts

Pre-season friendly

York City 0 Leeds United 0

(at KitKat Crescent)

York City: Evans (Bartlett, 60) Purkiss (Craddock, 46), McGurk (Dutton, 46), Bloomer (Jones, 46), Robinson (McWilliams, 46), Farrell (Brown, 46) Elliott (Greenwood, 46), Panther (Turnbull, 46), Woolford (Meechan, 46), Brodie (Beardsley, 46), Brayson (Sodje, 46).

Leeds United: Gay (Hammann, 46), Richardson (Delph, 46), Marques (Heath, 46), Parker (Madden, 46), Westlake (Fry, 46), Bayly (Carole, 46), Weston (Thompson, 46), Douglas (Prutton, 46), Howson (Lewis, 46), Constantine (Kandol, 46), Elliott (Beckford, 46).

Referee: John Moss (Leeds).

Attendance: 4,019.