Evening Press Sport

York City manager Neil Thompson admits it's crunch time for the Minstermen.

Neil Thompson

With just two points from a possible 18 and last Saturday's 1-0 defeat at home to Mansfield their third on the bounce, Thompson has confessed his team are under pressure.

"We are reaching a real critical stage of the season, without question.

"But pressure goes with the territory and everyone in life has pressure," said the City chief.

"The pressure for us is to get results and we haven't had enough good results this season.

"But if you let it get to you it drags through to everybody.

"You have got to get on with and go and do the things that you think are right to prepare yourself for the game and approach it positively.

"When you don't get results, obviously confidence does get dented and in the second half last Saturday the players did look a bit apprehensive at times.

"We went a goal down when we maybe should have been a goal up but that is football and we have got to rise above that.

"You cannot live your life in a bubble, you have to get yourself out of it and compose yourself."

Thompson admitted to score first in a match would be a major boon to his side and would go a long way to easing any pressure.

"Scoring first would be very nice but over the last few weeks we have had enough opportunities to get goals and haven't done it.

"I do not think people can complain about a lack of opportunities in the last few games which was probably the problem earlier in the season when we weren't creating as much as we should have done.

"We have just got to keep positive about it.

"People do get disgruntled but you have got to dig deep and really reach into yourself to get the best out of yourself."

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