York City 1 Tamworth 2: York must now win all their remaining games to reach the play-offs

York have won 10 and drawn three league matches at Bootham Crescent since then, but a way- below-par display saw Tamworth gain three much-needed points in their battle to avoid relegation.

“The poorest display since I joined the club,” was how Mills described it.

History shows that 77 points are needed to reach the play-offs. York have 66, so have to win all their remaining games against Luton, Cambridge (home), Darlington and Crawley (away) to reach that total.

Yet again, York’s lack of a cutting edge proved decisive as it has done since the departure of Richard Brodie to Crawley in September. They had chances galore with Ashley Chambers twice being denied by fine saves by Liam Mitchell, and Jonathan Smith mis-kicked from two yards.

York paid for their profligacy, former player Ben Wilkinson, son of Howard, the former Leeds United and England manager, giving Tamworth a 26th-minute lead. Tamworth, often with nine men behind the ball, made things difficult for York from that point and Kyle Perry took advantage of Danny Parslow’s mistake to make it 2-0 in the 74th minute.

Leon Constantine made it 2-1 in the 89th minute but pressure in five minutes of stoppage time failed to yield an equaliser.

Mills said: “It’s a massive task for us to win all our games, but it can be done, so let’s see what we are made of. We had our chances, but need to be more ruthless in the box.”

York City: Ingham; Darville, Chris Smith, Parslow, Meredith; Chambers, J Smith (Constantine 68), Kerr, Till; Rankine (Boucaud 65), Reed (Carruthers 83). Unused substitutes: Fyfield, Mackin.

Tamworth: L Mitchell; Marshall, Courtney, Barrow (Farrell 89); Tait, Christian Smith, Wilkinson, Sheridan, Thomas (Wylde 68), Lake-Gaskin, Perry (Bradley 74). Unused substitutes: Connor, A Mitchell.

Referee: C Harwood (Manchester).

Man of the match: Ashley Chambers.