York City heaped yet more embarrassment on their supporters with a shocking FA Cup third qualifying round 3-2 defeat to eighth-tier South Shields at Mariners Park.
The Evo-Stik North leaders were ahead inside ten minutes when keeper Jon Worsnop pulled down Jamie Holmes and Carl Finnigan easily converted the penalty.
Home skipper Julio Arca then exchanged passes with Robert Briggs to add an unopposed second goal for the part-timers before the interval was even reached.
Manager Gary Mills shook things up at the break with a triple substitution, although it took until fourteen minutes from time for skipper Sean Newton to reply.
Two minutes later Jon Parkin snatched an unlikely equaliser for the visitors – but inevitably they conceded again as Arca’s injury-time corner was headed in by Gavin Cogdon.
There were earlier a trio of changes from last week, one of those enforced with groin injury-victim Josh Law being replaced by Jassem Sukar. Leading goalscorer Parkin and midfielder Adriano Moke also returned at the expense of Louis Almond and Kaine Felix.
Shields included former York loan striker Jon Shaw in the heart of their defence, while ex-Sunderland playmaker Arca recovered from a leg injury to reclaim the armband.
But the visitors had an immediate opportunity to silence the noisy home support when a defensive slip allowed Amari Morgan-Smith clean through, only for goalkeeper Jack Norton to save low. Parkin next dragged comfortably wide.
However, Worsnop suddenly hauled down Holmes inside the area after ridiculously trying to take on his opponent and was easily wrong-footed by Finnigan’s spot-kick. He was also cautioned having conceded a penalty for the second consecutive weekend.
The recalled Parkin struck low at Norton midway through the opening half, while Anthony Callaghan advanced in the other direction but was only wayward. Sukar then cut out as the visitors were suddenly threatened again.
Veteran midfielder Arca was being allowed to completely run the show as the rain noticeably increased. And it was no real surprise when he moved forward unchallenged and exchanged passes with Briggs before slotting in a second goal.
Moments later Worsnop blocked with his feet from Cogdon, while Hamza Bencherif was dreadfully caught in possession by Finnigan and Barrie Smith shot wide.
Shields had yet another opportunity with Worsnop flapping at a cross and Cogdon hoisting over – it was simply embarrassing for the hardy three-hundred-plus travelling followers.
The Minstermen made a triple substitution at the break with Almond, Felix and Connor Smith replacing Simon Heslop, Theo Wharton and Sukar.
But yet another slack early pass across the back, this time from Daniel Parslow, soon had Bencherif once again in trouble, while Worsnop next smothered from Cogdon
Alex Whittle at last drove narrowly over at the opposite end and then Parkin volleyed wide. Whittle also fell under challenge inside the area before Newton curled behind.
Shields soon drove towards the other end and Parslow importantly blocked as his defence continued to appear a total disaster zone.
The visitors finally won their first corner against part-time opposition midway through the second period – but the lower-ranked team were still enjoying more of the ball.
However, York skipper Newton struck low to reduce the deficit and offer late hope with fourteen minutes remaining – his fourth goal of the season.
And just two minutes later home keeper Norton dropped a Morgan-Smith cross and Parkin tapped in his sixth of the campaign to equalise – with the sun also coming out to celebrate.
York were now incredibly pushing for an unlikely winner and substitute Almond curled inches wide from the edge of the area before Newton’s drive was deflected behind.
Substitute Felix was next too weak while Whittle covered superbly in the final minute of normal time; although man-of-the-match Arca’s injury-time corner was still dramatically headed in by Cogdon to complete another utterly woeful afternoon.
South Shields: Norton, Baxter, Callaghan, Shaw, Morse, Arca, Briggs, Smith (Stephenson 90), Cogdon, Finnigan, Holmes (Richardson 45)
subs (unused): Connell, Storey, Lough, Pattison, Sullivan
Goals: Finnigan (pen 9), Arca (36), Cogdon (90)
York City: Worsnop, Parslow, Bencherif, Sukar (Felix 46), Whittle, Heslop (Almond 46), Wharton (Smith 46), Moke, Newton, Parkin, Morgan-Smith
subs (unused): Edmondson, Muggleton, Haswell, Simpson
Goals: Newton (76), Parkin (78)
Ref: M. Woods
Att: 2,806
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