National League: York City boss calls for 'calm' after Gateshead loss, as FC Halifax Town rival rues cruel defeat to Carlisle United
YORK City manager Stuart Maynard has urged his players to remain calm after his title-chasing side slipped up in a shock 3-1 National League reverse at Gateshead.
The Minstermen are batting it out with leaders Rochdale in a epic joust for the sole automatic spot which guarantees EFL entry and spurned the chance to go top. Dale visited Scunthorpe United on Wednesday night.
Backed by a four-figure travelling contingent, York's three-match winning run was abruptly ended, with Maynard believing that a combination of factors, including soft concessions - his side were missing Mark Kitching - and in lack of ruthlessness in terms of finishing, contributed to their downfall.
But the City chief has stressed no-one should be panicking.
Maynard, whose side welcome Woking this weekend, said: "There's going to be lots of twists and turns.
"It's not easy to get over the line in title races and they are all high-pressure games.
"We've got to make sure we remain calm and a little bit of composure was needed (at Gateshead)."
FC Halifax Town's outside chances of reaching the play-offs were jolted by an unlucky 1-0 home reverse to third-placed Carlisle United, which manager Adam Lakeland labelled as 'cruel'.
He said: "They've probably got the biggest budget in the league, or certainly top two or three and I felt we were the better team.
"The effort, commitment and control we had, some of the football we played and chances we created, I thought it was one of our best performances of the season and sometimes football's cruel and that's certainly the case."