YORK CITY skipper Sean Newton rescued his side a point as his late equaliser secured a 1-1 draw with ten-man Southport.

Southport claimed the lead seven minutes into the second half when Gary Roberts burst between two defenders to meet Curtis Jones’ long ball.

Alex Fletcher wasted a good opportunity to extend Southport’s lead, but the game changed with 11 minutes left as striker Jack Sampson was dismissed for elbowing York defender Hamza Bencherif.

The Minstermen were boosted by their man advantage, and levelled within three minutes of Sampson’s red card.

Newton retrieved Amari Morgan-Smith’s corner after it was only half-cleared, and swung over a cross-cum-shot that sailed over Southport goalkeeper Iain Turner before dropping inside the far post.

York boss Gary Mills was happy with his side’s spirit, but was rueing the thigh injury that will keep midfielder Adriano Moke on the sidelines for up to two months.

“It looks like he will be out for six to eight weeks, which is a big loss,” said Mills. “I have got to make decisions now for Monday (against FC United) as Moke is missing.

“We look at ‘Mokes’ to get us on the ball and make things happen. He also draws people out, and we have lost a player who we know is capable of receiving the ball and keeping it.”

York: Worsnop; Law, Parslow, Bencherif, Whittle; Heslop, Moke (Sukar 18 (Muggleton 62)), Newton; Almond (Parkin 62), Rankine, Morgan-Smith.