– Ollie Wilson contributed with this report.
An upbeat David Holdsworth could not fault his Lincoln City side’s commitment despite watching them slip to a 2-0 defeat at York.
A goal in each half from Danny Pilkington and Patrick McLaughlin condemned the Imps to their eight away defeat of the season at Bootham Crescent.
But Holdsworth was pleased with the way his side performed against the play-off chasing Minstermen and preferred to focus on the positives from the game.
He said: “I felt we passed it at times very well and overall there was some positives about it,” said Holdsworth after the game.
“They’ve [York] got some very good players that they brought in over the summer and some highly regarded players so I’m not despondent.
“We competed tonight and I can’t fault the commitment. I just want us to compete a bit more.”
The Imps fell behind with only four minutes on the clock through Danny Pikington’s deflected strike and despite plenty of second half possession the visitors failed to recover.
Holdsworth added: “It [the opening goal] was a cruel deflection.
“[Conal] Platt’s had a great opportunity and it could have been very different going into half time.”
“We’ve been working in triangle all week long and our passing movements were excellent tonight.”
“We weren’t out played tonight, we worked hard and I think we deserved a goal out of this, but it wasn’t to be.”
The Imps started strongly and created a couple of opportunities early on. Conal Platt squandered the best of them just three minutes in as he blazed a strike over the bar after Kyle Perry nodded the ball down neatly for the Lincoln winger.
But York, who came into Tuesday’s game 13 places above Lincoln in the Blue Square Premier, weathered the early storm and took the lead just a minute later through a deflected Danny Pilkington strike.
Jake Sheridan, who sat just behind out-and-out Kyle Perry looked lively during the first period and linked well with both Simon Russell and Alan Power in the midfield.
But Lincoln couldn’t turn their possession into meaningful chances as both Russell and Power dragged shots wide of Michael Ingham’s goal.
And City were punished for their inability to test the Minstermen’s goal eleven minutes after the restart.
Matty Blair’s dazzling run pulled the visitors defence out of position leaving an unmarked Patrick McLaughlin to curl home past Paul Farman to doubling the hosts advantage.
Lincoln never recovered and although they were able to maintain possession well for much of the second half, Holdsworth side always looked susceptible to York’s quick counter attacks lead by wingers Blair and Ashley Chambers.
Power did test Ingham for a last time in added time with a strike from range but Lincoln rarely threatened to steal a point from the game after going two goals down.
The Imps face another away trip on Saturday when they travel to south Wales where they will meet fellow-strugglers Newport County.