Mills livid as individual errors undermine Minstermen’s progression

Coventry City’s 4-0 triumph at Bootham Crescent on Tuesday night ended the Minstermen’s hopes of a possible spring trip to Wembley in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

That was bad enough for Mills to stomach. But what really upset the City manager was the manner of the loss with two calamitous second-half errors from Clarke Carlisle and Scott Kerr having set the Sky Blues on their way to victory.

Mills is determined there will be no repeat and has promised to work his players hard in the build-up to Saturday’s derby clash at Bradford City.

“I did what I needed to do in the dressing room,” the York manager told the Yorkshire Post. “But the players know we will get on the training field and sort it out there.

“What happens in the dressing room with me and the players remains private. Whether I tear into them or praise them or whatever I do.

“Do we feel sorry for ourselves? No, we don’t. Do I as manager have to make decisions? Yes, I do. I have to pick a team on Saturday that can go to Bradford and bounce back.

“Bradford is a big game and a chance to turn it round quickly. But, as a manager, to lose by four goals like we did is something that hurts.

“I don’t like losing any games. But to lose like that hurt even more. My job is to put that right.”

On the two individual errors – Carlisle passed straight to David McGoldrick for the first goal on 57 minutes, while Kerr was caught in possession for Coventry’s second – that proved so costly, Mills added: “The first two goals were ridiculous. And then the third one, well, I can’t believe what I watched.

“We can’t give goals away like them. We have to play in the right areas and not take risks. I certainly don’t tell my players to take risks and we took two against Coventry that absolutely killed us.

“Those mistakes just ruined how we started. We went in at half-time as the better side but came out as the worst side.

“Sometimes, it is hard to explain why. But, for me, we haven’t been consistent enough this season for 90 minutes yet.

“We have done well in spells but not across a full game. I have said on a couple of occasions that we did well in the first half but not so good in the second. That has to come sooner rather than later.”

Considering the progress City have made under the Mills, heavy defeats have unsurprisingly been something of a rarity for the club.

They did lose 5-0 at Luton and 4-0 at Southport during a 19-day spell in January, 2011, but those were both on the road.

Before Tuesday night, the worst defeat at Bootham Crescent under Mills had been a 3-1 reverse against Wycombe Wanderers on the opening day of the season.

As hurtful as the loss was, however, Mills is now keen to look forward to the prospect of taking on Bradford in front of a bumper crowd at Valley Parade.

He said: “We put the goals on a plate for Coventry. You won’t win any football matches playing like that.

“Since I came to the club, that was the worst defeat I’ve had. It will happen again if we defend like that – by giving the ball away and allowing the opposition to slide the ball into the back of my net.

“That just isn’t good enough. Decision-making has to be right but against Coventry it was diabolical. We have to put that right against Bradford on Saturday.”

York have an early injury concern ahead of the derby with Chris Doig having to be substituted on Tuesday night with a tight calf.