YORK CITY...1 BURY...1: GRAHAM Barrow admits he would like to see former Bury hero Jon Newby back at Gigg Lane next season.

Newby and his former Shakers' teammate Liam George did their best to lift the Minstermen out of the relegation places.

And it was just like old times as Newby, Colin Woodthorpe and Glyn Garner walked off the pitch at the end deep in discussion.

"Jon is still a quality player," agrees Barrow, relieved his team held on for a barely deserved point.

"How he didn't fit in with Jon Stead and Andy Booth at Huddersfield, I don't know. I would definitely have him back, no problem.

"His work ethic was tremendous and you can never have enough strikers. Whether we'd be able to do anything, I'm not sure."

Newby is on loan at York and will return to the McAlpine Stadium at the end of the season. But he showed his qualities throughout a difficult 90 minutes for the visitors.

Indeed, Jon Cartledge had to be substituted early in the second half as Newby and George ran him ragged.

However, Barrow does has a cheaper option for next season if he prefers to implement it. Gareth Seddon is one of the third division's form strikers.

The 23-year-old marksman couldn't be doing any more to earn himself a new deal.

His excellent right foot finish after 15 minutes was his 11th of the campaign and eighth in 12 matches. He's formed a good partnership with David Nugent and the pair were outstanding early on.

Unfortunately Seddon collected a thigh injury that could force him to miss the trip to Yeovil. And York's defenders had an easier night as a result.

"Losing Gareth took a bit of the sting out of us," agreed Barrow. "But there were a lot of other things we weren't quite happy with.

"However, if we had scored again when we were on top, it might have been game set and match at half-time.

"But we took four points from six over Easter and it doesn't really matter how you get them."

It will take some freak results to see Bury relegated now, but Barrow will be relieved to already have got 50 plus points with Dave Challinor back at Stockport.

As hard as York fought, Bury clearly missed the leadership qualities Challinor brought to the team. Danny Swailes, the latest player to wear the captain's armband, Woodthorpe and latterly Matt Barrass, all did their best, but there was no one on view with a calming influence.

Indeed, Newby caught out teenager Cartledge to set-up George for York's first goal in 399 minutes.

This after Seddon thumped Bury in front 10 minutes earlier with one of the many opportunities the Shakers created.

Once York equalised it was a different story. Lee Nogan had two good opportunities before the interval while Darren Edmondson - twice - Chris Brass and George all went close in the second period.

Bury eventually carved out some good efforts of their own; none better than when Nugent played in Harpal Singh.

But Singh took the ball too close to the keeper and the opportunity passed.

It wasn't long afterwards when he was replaced by Paul O'Shaughnessy.

Nugent and substitute Simon Whaley also had other half chances but York finished well on top.

BURY: Garner 8, Swailes 7, Woodthorpe 8, Cartledge 5 (Whaley 53, 5), Barrass 7, Dunfield 7, Flitcroft 6, Singh 5 (O'Shaughnessy, 88), Kennedy 6, Seddon 7 (Porter 35, 6) Nugent 6. Subs not used: Duxbury and Solly.

REF: J. P. Robinson

ATTENDANCE: 3,111