Oxford United needed a late Simon Clist equaliser as they claimed a point off play-off hopefuls York City.
Oxford looked set for a second defeat of the season when Andy Ferrell's cross somehow got through to allow Michael Rankine to fire home from close range.
But Clist levelled 11 minutes later, finding himself in space at the far post to turn in Damian Batt's cross.
York were reduced to 10 men for the last 10 minutes when James Meredith was sent off for a second bookable offence.
He is now set to miss Tuesday's trip to promotion rivals Luton, as may York's top scorer Richard Brodie who, subject to a possible appeal for possible mistaken identity, received a fifth booking of the campaign.
Blue Square Premier leaders Oxford's advantage is cut to seven points, due to wins for promotion rivals Stevenage and Kettering.
York started stronger against the table-toppers, attacking with intent from the offset.
Oxford were forced to withstand a barrage of York attacks and only went in level at the break thanks to some heroic defending.
Goalkeeper Ryan Clarke had to be in top form too, expertly stopping Rankine in the first half.
Rankine eventually found a way past the Oxford keeper, when he gave the Minstermen a deserved lead.
But Oxford levelled against the run of play and, helped by Meredith's red card, safely saw out the final eight minutes.
City boss Martin Foyle told BBC Radio York:
"The fourth official got the wrong man. It should have been Adam Smith, not Richard Brodie who was booked.
"But we've told the referee. He can look at it before he hands in his report and he says he will do that, to be fair. And, if that doesn't get rescinded, we may as well give up.
"It was a great advert for Conference football.
"They've only had one shot. And our two strikers got around Mark Creighton and Luke Foster, which we'd been working on.
"And I thought Michael Rankine was unplayable. He looked a league player today."
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