York City v Gateshead: Stuart Maynard's rallying call after FA Cup loss to Barnsley
YORK City manager Stuart Maynard has called on his 'devastated' Minstermen players to cast aside their FA Cup hurt in the best possible fashion on their return to National League business against visiting Gateshead on Wednesday night.
Maynard's side were afforded plenty of deserved plaudits in the wake of their excellent first-round performance at Barnsley on Saturday, with their stirring display belying the fact that 44 places separated the Yorkshire rivals in the football pyramid.
City looked destined to take the game to extra time after Mark Kitching's 87th-minute equaliser, only for Reds defender Marc Roberts to net the winner in stoppage-time of a 3-2 home triumph.
It was a first away defeat in 13 matches for the Minstermen. Attention now switches back to league affairs, with York hosting a Heed side who caused a big first-round cup upset by winning 2-0 at third-tier outfit AFC Wimbledon.
Six of City's next nine league matches are on home soil, including three of the next four.
After visiting Eastleigh on Saturday, York welcome high-flying Rochdale on Tuesday, November 11 and entertain lowly Morecambe four days later at the LNER Community Stadium.
Maynard, whose side's two sole league defeats this season have come in front of their own supporters, said: "We can hold our heads really high (after Barnsley). But the final whistle has gone.
"Our sole focus now has to be on Wednesday. It's our bread and butter.
"We want to make sure that we're right at the top of this division and fighting to get out of it this season.
"We have to make sure that we can come with the same energy and the same level of performance as we did at Barnsley I think we've got winners in our group. So they're determined.
"It's about us picking them up now as a management team."