Ecstacy turned to agony in the space of minutes this afternoon for a former Sheffield United man, who found himself on he wrong end of one of the most remarkable results in the English football season.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell, the former Sheffield United defender, was on the wrong end of surely the most remarkable results of the English football season this afternoon as promotion was ripped out of his side’s grasp - in the 13th minute of injury time. Ebanks-Landell had a spell on loan at the Blades from Wolves in the early days of Chris Wilder’s United reign.

His career has been varied since and he is now plying his trade in the National League with Rochdale, who went into today’s final-day clash with York City two points behind them in the table. It had already been one of the fiercest title battles in some time, with both sides reaching 100 points with time to spare in the season.

But it looked like Rochdale had pipped their rivals right at the death when Emmanuel Dieseruvwe's header opened the scoring in the fifth minute of injury time. The goal, from a cross from veteran Ian Henderson , sparked a pitch invasion from Rochdale supporters that delayed the game for six minutes.

Only six minutes added time had been put on the board but York then snatched a point, and automatic promotion back to the EFL, when striker Josh Stones scored with virtually the last kick of the game.

York had thrown all theur outfield players forward and Stones forced the ball over the line, the goal confirmed by referee Will Finnie after his assistant had flagged that it crossed the line. That sparked another jubilant pitch invasion, this time by visiting York fans.

Rochdale, who will now have to pick themselves up to go again in the play-offs, might have scored an earlier injury-time goal when York defender Callum Howe headed Casey Pettit's corner against his own crossbar.

But it is York who will tonight toast promotion after winning the league with 108 points, with Rochdale - who won 106 - and Ebanks-Landell left to rue what might have been.