A smart card connector includes an insulative support (52) with contacts thereon and a sheet metal cover (54) with an upper portion (60) that lies over a support face (62) to form a front portion of a card-receiving cavity (58) between them, and with the cover having a lower portion (191) lying under opposite sides of the cavity. The opposite sides of the cavity extend rearward of the support. A card ejecting mechanism (141) includes a pusher (144) that can be manually pushed forward to pivot a lever (146) that pushes the card rearwardly so the card can be grasped and manually pulled out. The pusher is formed of sheet metal with lower and upper flanges (190, 188) that lie against upper and lower portions of the cover, the pusher being confined to solely slideable movement and the lever being pivoting mounted about a pivot axis (A1) on the support. The pivot axis of the lever lies forward of a front edge (78) that limits full insertion of a card, and preferably lies in the area where a polarizing front corner of the card is cut at a 45° angle.