YORK City player-manager Chris Brass was unhappy with the manner in which all three goals were conceded in Saturday's defeat at Bristol Rovers.

Centre-back Chris Smith conceded two free-kicks in as many minutes which led to Rovers' first two goals while the third deflected in off Richard Hope after Ally Gibb had made an undetected overlapping run just 56 seconds into the second half.

Brass said: "They had four big lads at the back and we stressed the need not to give away silly set-pieces but I thought the first one was a needless foul on the edge of the box and we switched off a little bit after debating the decision and they scored.

"Goals obviously change games and that knocked the wind out of our sails. Stuart Wise was off the pitch with a head injury for the second goal and nobody took the responsibility to pick up the lad he was supposed to be marking and he headed it in.

"The next goal was vital and we switched off and showed a lack of responsibility again to concede a goal at the worst possible time and then the game was dead and buried. We have conceded three bad goals again."

Macclesfield are at home to Lincoln City tomorrow night and victory would leave them just one point behind City.

Updated: 10:37 Monday, March 29, 2004