Bristol Rovers 2 York City 1: McNamara optimistic despite record defeat

A painful 2-1 loss at Rovers, confirmed following 14-goal striker Matty Taylor’s stoppage-time winner, also inflicted a club record ninth straight defeat on the Minstermen.

But, with fit-again, experienced trio Russell Penn, Luke Summerfield and Dave Winfield helping to instigate an improvement after respective 6-0 and 5-1 thrashing against Portsmouth and Accrington in their last two outings, ex-Dundee United chief McNamara remains optimistic that he can steer the team out of trouble.

He said: “I’m not scratching my head or panicking. There are a lot of things that need to change, but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. There’s a good core or players here to work with and I’m hoping some others can step up and help us going forward. Everything can change quickly.”

Vadaine Oliver gave the visitors a 41st-minute lead with his ninth goal of the season after he sidefooted past on-loan Wigan goalkeeper Lee Nicholls from five yards following James Berrett’s inswinging cross from the left.

Jermaine Easter levelled on 71 minutes when he headed over Scott Flinders from six yards and as McNamara closed in on his first point since taking over from Russ Wilcox last month, Taylor grabbed victory for the Pirates, latching on to Tom Parkes’s cross before firing home from five yards.

Bristol Rovers: Nicholls; J Clarke (Leadbitter, 55), Lockyer, Parkes, Brown; Cowan-Hall, (Gosling, 55), Mansell, Sinclair, Bodin (Jermaine Easter, 70); Gaffney, Taylor. Unused substitutes: Mildenhall, McChrystal, O Clarke, Harrison.

York City: Flinders; O’Connor, Winfield, Boyle, Ilesanmi; Summerfield (Godfrey, 88), Penn, Berrett; McEvoy (Straker, 56), Fewster (Galbraith, 68), Oliver. Unused substitutes: Ingham, Carson, Swan, Kitching.

Referee: B Toner (Lancashire).

Man of the match: Lee Mansell.