Martin Ling is looking for answers from his squad after today's defeat at the hands of York City.

Neil Barratt's 48th minute strike secured the points for the visitors, and left Ling pondering a sixth game without a win in all competitions.

The manager said: "You can criticise them for not winning the game, for missing chances, and perhaps you can criticise Rory (McAuley) on the goal for putting it out for a throw instead of just knocking it down the line.

"But you're talking small criticisms, and I can't criticise them today in terms of effort or endeavour, but at the moment the results aren't following so it's frustrating, the most frustrating period I've had since being a manager. We need to find the answers and find them quickly."

York came into the match on the back of eight successive wins, but United matched their high flying opposition for long periods, squandering several good opportunities before and after Barratt's goal.

"They're a good side, with two solid banks of four that are difficult to break down, and the two up front (Brodie and Rankine) are always dangerous," said Ling. "But we've kept them quiet, the goal's taken a slight deflection off Sam Ives, and then Lee (Phillips) missed a great chance to get us back into it.

"It's frustrating for everybody concerned but we've got to show some character because we're in a rut and I'm looking at the bottom of the league at the moment more than the top. We need to get out of this rut and get out of it quickly."

Ling praised Phillips, who returned to the side following injury, and called for him to work hard to keep his place.

He said: "Lee did well. He's had to regain fitness because I've not had him fit and available for two games on the trot yet, so for him it's important to get a run between now and the end of the season because he can give us some physical presence.

"He did ok today, and most of them can look at their performances and think they haven't done that badly, but as a manager you look at the results and in the papers tomorrow it will say 1-0 to York and any good stuff that's gone on will be pushed under the carpet, which of course is the other way round if you sneak it 1-0."

Some supporters booed when Andy Parkinson entered the fray in the 67th minute, and Ling said: "I don't know if that was to do with him coming on or my substitution. It's frustrating for Andy and if it's aimed at him I think it's wrong. I've talked before about people booing, and when you're losing games that's always going to be the case. As a manager you just have to accept it and try and move on."

Ling and the players will be in tomorrow (Sunday) for what he described as a "warm down", and the manager added: "We'll brush ourselves down and try and take another step forward in the trophy."

Ending with word on potential new signings, Ling is still keen to strengthen in defence, and expects to make a couple of signings next week following the departure of Courtney Pitt and the impending sale of top-scorer Chris Holroyd to Brighton.

He said: "There's still a centre half to find. We're getting closer, and obviously we've swapped Courtney out, so there'll be some new faces in the building next week. It's not necessarily that there's anything badly wrong, but a few additions will give us some extra impetus."

Matthew Gooding