YORK City boss Gary Mills admitted his team were “second best” during a 2-0 derby defeat to National League North leaders Harrogate Town.

A goal in each half from Joe Leesley and Liam Agnew condemned the Minstermen to defeat in front of a 2,800 sell-out crowd at Wetherby Road.

City hit the post through skipper Sean Newton in response, but Bootham Crescent chief Mills gave an honest appraisal of his team’s shortcomings at the final whistle.

He told the York Press: “Even though they didn’t create chance after chance, we were second best from start to finish in terms of winning the ball and they were livelier than us.

“I thought there was a foul by their player before we gave the penalty away for the first goal, but we ended up with Theo Wharton one-v-one at the back as last man and I don’t see how that happens after their keeper had made a good save from Alex Whittle. We then didn’t stay with the runners for their second goal and that was suicidal.”

Frustrated away fans joined in with “You’re Getting Sacked in the Morning” taunts directed at Mills as the game ended and some hurled a batch of paper missiles towards the City chief.

On that reaction, Mills added: “Maybe they were betting slips that we had ruined - I don’t know. But, if people want to throw things, they will.

“My job is to manage the team and the stewards’ job is to do something about that. Myself and the players have jobs to do and, at this moment in time, I want to do my job a bit better.”

YORK: Worsnop; Law, Parslow, Bencherif, Whittle (Sukar 46); Heslop, Wharton (Smith 69), Newton, Morgan-Smith, Almond, Felix (Moke 46). Subs (not used): Edmondson, Simpson.

GATESHEAD shrugged off Theo Vassell's early red card as they came from two goals down to claim a draw at Maidstone.

The Heed faced a long afternoon after Vassell was sent off in the 10th minute for a foul on Zavon Hines and the former West Ham trainee tucked away the resultant penalty.

But the visitors raised their game and came close to equalising as Luke Hannant's shot hit a post.

Alex Wynter's 15-yard finish midway through the second half appeared to wrap up the points for Maidstone, only for Richard Peniket to round goalkeeper Lee Worgan and tuck home within two minutes to get Gateshead back in it.

The momentum was with the depleted visitors and they nicked a point 10 minutes from time when Danny Johnson lashed in a strike from 20 yards.

GATESHEAD: Montgomery; Vassell, Williams, Maxwell (O’Donnell 67), Fyfield, Byrne, McLaughlin, Hannant, York (Preston 67), Johnson (Burrow 83), Peniket. Subs (not used): Penn, Hanford.