City suffered last-gasp heartbreak as Chesterfield snatched an equaliser in stoppage time.
Peter Taylor's side were poised to end their four-game losing streak in style with a gutsy win.
But substitute Jordan Bowery popped up in the second of the three added minutes to rescue a point for the leaders.
Chesterfield have scored in every game at their new home and they needed only ten minutes to keep that record in tact as Danny Whitaker fired home from Jack Lester's pass.
But rather than wobble from the blow, City hit back straight away. James Hanson was denied by a fine save from Keighley-born keeper Tommy Lee before David Syers notched his eighth goal of the season to level three minutes later.
City's first-half display was as confident as they had played since beating Bury. They took the game to the leaders, forcing six corners and Lee was at full stretch again to keep out a Gareth Evans free-kick.
The visitors got their reward eight minutes after the break. Tom Adeyemi nearly converted Hanson's knockdown but Evans kept the ball alive to pick out the big striker to beat Lee with a thumping header.
City had a long time to protect their precious advantage and Chesterfield looked to step it up with Deane Smalley's arrival in place of the ineffective Lester.
But it wasn't until the 79th minute that Jon McLaughlin was seriously called upon, the keeper diving to push away Mark Allott's 25 yarder.
Smalley then headed over when it looked easier to score and City were set to hang on for three huge points.
But then one last cross was knocked down by Ian Breckin and Bowery, who had only been on the field for a few minutes, found space to turn and shoot from close range.
At least the losing run is over but it felt like a defeat for City because it looked like being so much more.
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