Gary Mills vows York City wins will come (From York Press)

Gary Mills vows York City wins will come

12:00pm Monday 19th November 2012 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

New recruit Alex Rodman turns away in glee after notching his first York City goal. Picture: Gordon Clayton

YORK City manager Gary Mills is unconcerned by a run of six games without a victory.

Mills is currently enduring his longest win-less sequence since taking charge of the Minstermen in October 2010 but was again encouraged by his side’s performance during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at League Two high-fliers Port Vale.

If the extra-time defeat at FA Cup replay hosts AFC Wimbledon is counted as a draw after 90 minutes, then City have shared the spoils in five of those last six games and Mills is confident his team can rediscover the winning habit.

After seeing goals from Alex Rodman and Jamie Reed complete a second-half comeback at Vale Park, the City chief said: “Let’s enjoy a point at Port Vale because, if we start worrying about not winning, it can create problems. We’ve just got to keep going and the wins will come.

“We all want to win and I thought we deserved to on Saturday.

“There have been a few games where we haven’t got what we deserved but it’s a learning process and we’re going through a little spell.

“We’re not winning, which is a situation we’re not used to, but we’re not losing too many either.

“We’re not a million miles behind Port Vale if we can turn the draws into wins and I believe we will.”

Mills felt his side were unfortunate to concede a penalty when captain Chris Smith was judged to have handled a Chris Shuker shot for the hosts’ second goal but praised his players’ determination not to ditch their footballing principles in such adversity.

He added: “I was very proud of us in defeat at AFC Wimbledon and we were the better team again at Port Vale.

“To go in 2-0 down was a travesty after a very dubious penalty but I said to the players ‘let’s go and win it’ because I know the character we have got and what we are capable of.

“We passed and kept the ball well in the first half without really hurting them and, at 2-0, the next goal was important. We got it and deserved it because I thought we were excellent.

“We were up against a side who everybody has been telling me are a good team but we are a good team and we have proved that again. At 2-0 down, we did not panic and kept playing and that’s what we are about.

“It’s important we do that when we go behind. It’s another draw and we want to build on it with a performance like that at home and a win.”

On Rodman’s first goal following his loan move from Aldershot, Mills said: “It’s not easy to come into another side but I went with him because I felt it was the right thing to do.

“I know what he’s capable of. He’s got good feet and it was a great goal.”

On Reed, preferred to Jason Walker in the starting line-up, netting his fourth goal in only his second start of the campaign, Mills added: “The lad has popped up again with an equaliser.

“I thought it was time to give him a go. He’s looked sharper in training and I’ve had many a chat with Reedy in the past.

“This time I couldn’t ignore him and he did okay because it’s not easy against two big lads like they had.

“I decided to keep him on because he’s always capable of getting a goal and he did.”

Chris Doig was also selected instead of Clarke Carlisle in the centre of City’s defence with Mills hinting at off-the-pitch reasons for that change, saying: “Everybody will find out in the week what was behind that.

“There are two or three reasons and one is that I wanted to play from the back a bit more. We’ve not done that as much with Clarke in the team.

“We’ve been throwing the ball down centre-backs’ throats in recent games but Chris Doig is very good at playing out from the back.

“If you don’t give away possession, the opposition can’t score and he also reads the game well.

“We’ve just got to keep him fit because he also gives us that balance as a left-footer as well.”