YORK City manager Gary Mills believes poor finishing is blighting his team’s League Two campaign.

The Minstermen went down 4-1 at home to Morecambe on Saturday with Mills left reflecting on the failure of Paddy McLaughlin and Dan Parslow to take second-half chances when the scores were still level.

Jason Walker’s penalty had earlier cancelled out Lewis Alessandra’s 23rd-minute opening goal for the visitors.

But, after McLaughlin saw a 15-yard shot saved and a Parslow effort was cleared off the line by Kevin Ellison, Morecambe went on to secure an emphatic win.

Ellison profited from a Michael Ingham mistake on 74 minutes to put the Shrimps back in front.

Substitute Jack Redshaw then put the game beyond doubt with two late strikes and a disappointed Mills said: “The quality of our finishing has been our downfall this season and cost us the 4-1 scoreline that flattered them.

“At 1-1, we had two unbelievable chances to get the next goal but we did not take them and, at the level we are playing, if you don’t take your chances and you make mistakes, you get punished.”

Ingham’s error was compounded by more poor home play for Redshaw’s goals and, on his team’s defensive efforts, Mills added: “You can’t legislate for your ’keeper doing a complete air shot to go 2-1 down and their fourth goal when their lad got between our two centre-halves was diabolical.

“The last 20 minutes were awful because it was another game we should have got something out of.

“It was too easy for them to score and that’s disappointing.

“It was a bad day for us but we have to move on and I have to pick the right side to get us the right result at Wycombe on Saturday.”

Mills also defended his decision to throw centre-back Chris Smith forward for the last ten minutes with his team trailing 2-1, preferring his captain in attack to striker Jamie Reed who was left on the bench.

“When we are behind, Chris Smith does that well,” Mills said of his skipper’s attacking thrust.

“He gives us another option up there and wins flick-ons and I would do the same if I had to make the decision again.”