YORK City Ladies ensured league survival with point against Barnsley on the final day of the season for the Minsterbelles.

An entertaining eight goal tie ended with the points being shared at the Wombwell Recreation Ground.

Bradford City Women's 6-0 defeat to Newcastle United Ladies elsewhere alongside the point meant York were safe on the ending fixture of the campaign.

City were undone in the fifth minute of the game, a corner delivered from the right was powerfully headed in by an unmarked Taviah Myles to put the hosts ahead.

York weren’t behind for long, Holly Findlay on her return to her former club was played in behind by Jess Holder. Findlay drove into the box and picked her spot, beating the goalkeeper to equalise after just ten minutes.

The pendulum swung again the way of Barnsley as the flurry of goals continued, in the 15th minute another set-piece bore fruit for the hosts. Amy Beck headed in at the far post.

In the 33rd minute the visitors came close to equalising, as Nikki Brown was denied by the Barnsley goalkeeper who was quick off her line to block Brown’s effort after she was picked out in the centre of the box by Holder.

There was little between the two sides as the game neared the halfway mark. York forward Fliss Jones saw a shot taken by the keeper from the edge of the box in the 42nd minute, her first sighter of the afternoon.

In stoppage time at the end of the first half the Minsterbelles levelled the game for the second time, Jones showed great strength to hold off her marker before showing equally impressive composure to lift the ball over the keeper to take the sides into the break level.

City came out brightly in the second half buoyed by the late equaliser, they didn’t have to wait long before they turned the game on its head.

Jones was at the double in the 51st minute. Again, the striker was composed as she drove into the box and picked out the corner to put York ahead for the first time in the game.

York continued to have the better of the half, Jones almost added to her tally but the ball just didn’t drop for a shooting opportunity following more good work from Holder to get the ball across.

In the 79th minute Barnsley equalised, another corner caused City issues, the ball dropped kindly for Beck who fired into the far corner to make the score 3-3.

A golden opportunity passed York as Holder managed to beat the offside trap and get one-on-one with the keeper who managed to deny the City forward as Barnsley survived.

It would be Barnsley who would be next to take the lead, Nat Watson struck from range, despite a fantastic hand from Sidwell to divert the ball onto the underside of the bar the ball was deemed to have crossed the line by the officials and the hosts re-took the lead.

Midway through the four additional minutes at the end of normal time City equalised again.

Having produced last minute heroics in the previous outing at Bradford, Abbey Parkin provided more late drama, the full-back delivered for the run of Alice Hughes who calmly side footed the ball in off the underside of the bar to again level the game and ensure tier four status for another season.

With results elsewhere also going in York’s favour survival was secured regardless of the result City picked up, the point in South Yorkshire saw York finish ninth in the table.

York City Ladies: Sidwell, Parkin, Smith, Cattle, Ash, Hughes, Hardcastle (Heald), Brown, Findlay (Bell), Jones (Jeffels), Holder.

Subs not used: Harriott, Frederiksen.