YORK City boss Martin Gray insisted his team will still challenge for automatic promotion this season despite the gap to the top widening to 11 points.

The Minstermen fell further off the pace following a 3-2 defeat at second-placed Salford, who are ten points clear of Gray’s side with a game in hand.

Leaders Harrogate have also played one fixture fewer, while defeat at Moor Lane meant City even dropped out of the play-off positions.

Late goals by substitutes Louis Almond and Aidan Connolly proved insufficient after home skipper Liam Hogan had netted twice, either side of a first-half Jack Redshaw effort.

But a defiant Gray remained adamant the Bootham Crescent outfit are still targeting the one spot that guarantees promotion from National League North, while stressing the need to now take maximum points from home games against Tamworth and Curzon Ashton on successive weekends.

“We’ve got to go on a run and get a winning mentality,” the ex-Darlington chief told the York Press. “You can’t push for championships when you win one, draw one and lose one, as we have just done.

“You’ve got to have consistency because there’s still a great chance to challenge for the title and we will challenge – there’s no question about that. There are more than 80 points to play for and we’re not halfway through the season.

“We’ve got to look to take six points from the next two matches now. That’s not me putting pressure on the players – that’s just the pressure you have to work under and we need to get back to keeping clean sheets by being solid, well-organised and focussed for 90 minutes.”

York: Peacock-Farrell; Law, Parslow, Bencherif, Whittle; Morgan-Smith (Connolly 59), Heslop, Newton, Ferguson (Moke 66); Gray (Almond 61), Parkin. Subs (not used): Simpson, Wharton.

BEN Strevens left it late as he fired Eastleigh to a narrow 3-2 victory over Gateshead, who remain too close to the bottom than they would like.

Ben Williamson sent a brilliant finish past goalkeeper Dan Hanford to give the hosts an early lead.

Danny Hollands hit the bar before Ross Flitney denied Wes York an equaliser with a save at his near post before Jordan Burrow fired just over for Gateshead.

It was James Constable who struck next, the former Oxford man curling a shot into the top corner just after the hour.

Jordan Preston halved the deficit with 16 minutes left and Theo Vassell capitalised on a goalmouth scramble to level at the death.

However, there was more drama to come as, four minutes into stoppage-time, Strevens turned in a Mark Yeates assist following the Irishman's mazy dribble.

Gateshead: Hanford; Williams, Vassell, Hannant, Barrow, Kerr, Penn, McLaughlin, Preston, Peniket, York (Johnson 64). Subs (not used): Byrne, Burrow, O’Donnell, Maxwell.