Maidstone are out of the bottom four after fighting back for a deserved point at National League drop rivals York.

United trailed after only three minutes as City flew out of the blocks and dominated the first half.

But Reece Prestedge scored a lovely equaliser at the start of the second half as the visitors battled back brilliantly.

Stones were carved open on the edge of the box for the opener, Sean Newton combining with Alex Whittle and Amari Morgan-Smith before Whittle’s cross was finished by Jon Parkin.

Parkin, whose former clubs include Stoke, Preston and Barnsley, is a big lump but he’s a huge asset in this league, strong, a clever operator and almost impossible to knock off the ball.

He featured in much of City’s best work in the first half, along with Newton in midfield, and could have finished the first half with a hat-trick.

Not long after scoring, he missed the target from another Whittle cross and shortly before half-time hit the post with a thumping volley.

Stones’ only real chance of the first half came seconds after falling behind, Joe Pigott’s shot parried by Kyle Letheren witn Stuart Lewis heading the rebound over.

Other than that it was all York.

Further chances fell to Simon Heslop, who fired just over and forced a decent stop from Lee Worgan, while Morgan-Smith missed a glorious chance after Parkin’s dummy left him all alone.

Worgan and Kevin Lokko combined to snuff out a good chance for Vadaine Oliver at the start of the second half.

And moments later, in the 47th minute, Maidstone were level.

Delano Sam-Yorke’s cross just evaded Pigott but Stones kept the ball alive with Jack Paxman’s lay-off buried by Prestedge from 20 yards, a lovely strike from the on-loan Bromley man.

Having looked so dominant suddenly York were panicking from balls into their box, be it the shock of conceding or simply unsettled by United’s change in system following the introduction of Alex Flisher, who was running about like a man possessed.

The turnaround was quite something as Maidstone took the game to City, going close to taking the lead when Lokko’s header from a Flisher long throw was clawed away by Letheren.

York, the crowd getting frustrated, saw Heslop’s shot flash wide off Lokko while Parkin, not the same force in the second half, finished tamely from the edge of the area.

Back came Stones with Letheren getting enough on the ball to keep out Flisher, who appealed for a penalty as the pair chased the loose ball, but the referee deemed it a dive and booked him.

In the last minute of normal time, Worgan raced off his line to save bravely at the feet of Oliver.

Stones spent much of four minutes' added time in the York half.

Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi, Mills, Acheampong (Flisher 46mins), Coyle, Lokko, Prestege, Lewis, Paxman (Taylor 74mins), Sam-Yorke, Pigott. Subs not used: Phipps, Odubade, Loza.

Attendance: 2,816 (219 Stones fans).