York City manager Chris Brass has acknowledged his side have a lot to learn after Hereford United doled out a harsh lesson on life in the Conference on Saturday.

The Bulls, who came close to promotion into the League last season after an eight year hiatus, showed the Minstermen exactly how it should be done in a comprehensive 3-0 win which could easily have been 7-0.

But player-manager Chris Brass says he knows where the problems are and is confident they can be put right.

He said: "I watched the game on video yesterday and it was evident that we didn't retain possession for long enough. Had we kept the ball and been a bit more patient getting it up to the front two I feel that it would have been a different outcome.

"The pleasing thing was that it was evident from the video what we were doing wrong so we know what we have to do to put things right."

Brass also focused on an epidemic of individuals under-performing.

He said: "After a good performance against Tamworth, too many of our players were below form and only Darren Dunning and Paul Groves played anywhere near their best.

"If you have nine players playing well they can carry two who are below par, but you can't do it if you are carrying nine.

"At the same time, you have to give Hereford credit. They showed why they did so well last season and looked a very strong side. We were outplayed, there is no getting away from that.

"We knew that two of our first three games of the season against Aldershot and Hereford were probably against two of the best sides in the Conference and I think that has been proved.

"We had a good win over Tamworth after the defeat at Aldershot, but today we were never in it. We have been taught a harsh lesson.

"They still have the nucleus of the team which got to the semi-final of the play-offs last season and have brought in one or two other good players. It was a massive lesson for us.

"You need work-rate and commitment in every game and we didn't match Hereford in those departments.

"I expect them to be major challengers for the title. They gave us a lesson - now it is up to us to react and the way we do that is important."

Individual mistakes were also costly with all three goals stemming from City errors, with goalkeeper Paul Crichton responsible for the third after venturing outside of his box to make a clearance but was tackled.

Brass said: "Paul was disappointed with the fact that he had done it and he held his hands up to his mistake straight away in the changing room after. He was caught in two minds and it didn't come off. But unfortunately it definitely killed the game off."

City's reserve side are in action this evening (kick off 7pm) at home to Notts County with a team peppered with players with first team experience.

Lev Yalcin and Dave Merris, who both did well when they came on as substitutes on Saturday, are in the starting line-up.

York City's youth side also lost on Saturday. They were beaten 2-0 by their Hull City counterparts in the Football League Youth Alliance North East Conference.

City Reserves: Porter, Staley Hollingworth, Davies, Green, Merris, Harrison, Ashcroft, Arthur, Yalcin and Haw.

Updated: 11:09 Monday, August 23, 2004