Salisbury 1, York City 1

Maligned by some, farmed out on loan to Barrow by Colin Walker, Brodie rose off the bench to strike an 83rd minute equaliser as the Minstermen grabbed a share of the spoils.

Michael Ingham certainly owes the Geordie frontman a favour.

For his goal got the Northern Ireland ’keeper out of jail following a horrendous error which gifted Salisbury a late first-half lead.

Ingham hadn’t even realised he could pick up David McGurk’s thigh-back to him in the 40th minute before attempting a clearance.

But even he can’t have expected the ball to skew horribly off his right boot towards goal – allowing Charlie Griffin the simplest of tap-ins.

Foyle, Salisbury born and bred, unsurprisingly ditched Walker’s unpopular 5-3-2 and opted for a 4-4-2 formation, but still sprang a surprise.

Andy McWilliams was switched from left-back to left-wing as Mark Robinson returned – Craig Farrell filling the right-wing berth.

There was also a recall for Daniel McBreen with Bruce Dyer unable to travel because of a stiff back.

But the first period could have come straight out of the Walker era, as City huffed and puffed but struggled to break down a Salisbury outfit which closed down at every opportunity.

It was nearly ten minutes before either side manufactured a shot and Onome Sodje’s 16-yard effort – created after cutting in from the right – was easily held by Salisbury ’keeper James Bittner.

It took another ten minutes before the home side enjoyed their first effort and Ingham wasn’t troubled by a Charles Ademeno shot which was dragged well wide of the right-hand post.

City had some joy from set pieces, with Craig Farrell’s precision giving the Minstermen plenty to aim at.

It almost paid dividends on 28 minutes when a Farrell free-kick found Danny Parslow, whose looping back header struck the top of the bar.

But these moments of excitement were fleeting as the Minstermen, and particularly Sodje, struggled to break down Salisbury’s high offside line.

Not that the home side were creating much either.

So it was all the more disappointing when Ingham’s howler gave them the lead.

There wasn’t much danger when Ingham went to blast a clearance into the sky but the 28-year-old got it terribly wrong.

Slicing off his right foot, the ball veered off towards goal and would have gone in even without a gleeful Griffin being on hand to make sure.

And Brian Dutton almost made matters worse for City when firing a shot narrowly wide from 16-yards after robbing Mark Robinson.

City came out with more purpose after the break and Bittner held a shot from McBreen at the near post on 48 minutes.

The Australian striker was presented with the best of the Minstermen chances early in the second period and should have done better when firing high and wide after being found in space by Mark Greaves.

Sodje incurred McBreen’s wrath when his weak effort failed to trouble Bittner with the former Scunthorpe forward in acres of space.

But McBreen’s fury turned to anguish when he spurned the best opportunity on 72 minutes.

On-loan Gainsborough Trinity winger Adam Smith made his City debut replacing Farrell and, following a mazy run across the box, he picked out McBreen with a little pass ten yards out.

If McBreen could have been forgiven for being alarmed at the space he had in the middle of the box, and for thinking he was offside, the same could not be said for his finish.

Despite having the time to take it out of his feet, he scuffed it wide of the left-hand post with only Bittner to beat – to the dismay of the City fans behind the goal.

McWilliams was sacrificed for Brodie as Foyle went on the offensive and the former Newcastle Benfield forward immediately put himself about.

York survived a scare when Ademeno headed narrowly over the bar after being found in stride by Clohessy’s cross but it was City on the offensive and they got their deserved equaliser seven minutes from time.

When the ball came through from the back, McBreen was definitely offside. But Brodie wasn’t and he ran onto the pass.

He took it round Bittner, who managed to get the slightest of nicks to it, and remained calm when side-footing into the empty net to ensure City didn’t go home empty handed.

Match facts

Salisbury 1 (Griffin 40), York City 1 (Brodie 83)

City: Michael Ingham 5, Ben Purkiss 6, Danny Parslow 6, David McGurk 7, Mark Robinson 6, Andy McWilliams 6, Mark Greaves 8, Simon Rusk 6, Craig Farrell 6, Daniel McBreen 5, Onome Sodje 6.

Substitutions: Richard Brodie (for McWilliams, 74) 7, Ben Wilkinson (for Rusk, 80) 6, Adam Smith (for Farrell, 63) 6.

Subs not used: Mimms, Kelly.

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire.

City’s star man: Greaves – efficient at the back, solid in midfield, Greaves was a towering presence in the air and caused problems from set pieces.

Salisbury: James Bittner, Sean Clohessy, Jonathan Bass, Djoumin Sangare, Matthew Robinson, Brian Dutton, Ian Herring, Robert Sinclair, Rory Hill (Darrell Clarke, 56), Charlie Griffin (Daniel Webb, 76), Charles Ademeno.

Subs (not used): Timothy Bond, Luke Ruddick, Stephen Maher.

Yellow cards: Griffin, Sangare, Bittner, Webb, McGurk, Brodie.

Shots on target: Salisbury 1, York 5

Shots off target: Salisbury 3, York 3

Corners: Salisbury 4, York 3

Offside: Salisbury 1, York 10

Fouls: Salisbury 13, York 12

Referee: Darren Sheldrake (East Molesey).

Rating: A little trigger happy, and took ages to deal with blatant time wasting from Bittner.

Attendance: 986.

Mistake of the match: Michael Ingham will never slice another kick again after his howler gifted Salisbury their first goal.

Move of the match: Smith showed glimpses of his potential when waltzing through Salisbury’s defence and picking out McBreen with a perfect pass.

City player watch: Andy McWilliams

Shots on target: 0

Shots off target: 0

Passes to team-mate: 9

Passes to opposition: 4

Pass success rate: 69 per cent

Crosses to team-mate: 0

Crosses to opposition: 0

Dribbles, ball retained: 2

Dribbles, ball lost: 0

Dribble success rate: 100 per cent

Headers: 2

Tackles: 2

Blocks, clearances and interceptions: 6

Fouls won: 0

Offside: 0

Final summary: McWilliams was employed in an advanced, left-wing position. It was a controlling role and, although he put himself in position on occasion, the natural left-back was more a frustrater than an attacker. He rarely looked to take on the full-back – content to disrupt play as shown by the number of clearances and interceptions. As the second half wore on, with City chasing the game, he was substituted.