YORK City boss Terry Dolan is relishing a return to reality to get his Minstermen primed and ready for the real deal.

After two friendly matches against top-flight opposition - last night's 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough coming just days after the 2-0 defeat against Manchester United - the City chief admitted things are heading in the right direction.

"We want things to slowly improve and I think we are getting there," insisted the City boss, who today handed his squad their first day off in midweek since they returned for pre-season.

"It is a good lesson for us playing the type of opposition we have done over the last few days but we can get back to reality now - North Ferriby on Saturday and Division Three the week after."

While quietly confident with the progress being made Dolan, speaking after last night's encounter with Boro, warned there is still work to be done if City are to become a force in Division Three

"I thought we started sloppily and the first thing I said to the players at the start of pre-season was that if we want to become a better team we must keep possession of the ball better.

"And playing against the two teams we have done is an example as to how if you do give the ball away you are going to have to work twice as hard.

"The one area we have got to be better is keeping possession but the two games are not like what we are going to be encountering in the next nine months, opposition wise and the type of football."

The City chief admitted Middlesbrough's formation, playing with three strikers, had caused City a few difficulties in the first half.

"We had a problem the way Middlesbrough were playing from a defensive point of view but we sorted that out at half-time and coped better in the second half," he revealed.

The partnership of new signing Peter Duffield - who grabbed his second goal of pre-season - and Barry Conlon looked promising, confessed Dolan, who was particularly satisfied that the goal was scored from within the six-yard box.

"I was pleased we got a goal from a cross. Barry Conlon came to the far post which we have been working on and Peter Duffield was there to get a goal in the six yard box. That was pleasing.

"The more they play together the better they will become but you cannot be playing three or four games every week at this stage of the season, you have to do it gradually."

The only slight injury worry for the City chief was a bang in the ribs suffered by Barry Jones that forced his withdrawal midway through the second half.

However, Dolan said the defender was keen to carry on and was substituted only as a pre-caution.

PICTURE: MY BALL: City wing-back Darren Edmondson fends off Boro's Andy Campbell