CENTRE-BACK John McCombe says York City must once again find a way to grind out results.

The Minstermen defender believes the Bootham Crescent club should have kept three clean sheets from their opening week of action in the new season.

The 29-year-old wants a return to the second half of the last campaign, where Nigel Worthington’s men conceded just six goals in 19 matches on a run to the Sky Bet League Two play-offs.

“I think we have played pretty well in all of the games,” McCombe said of the opening trio of matches.

“To be honest, we should have six points and be sitting near the top at the moment.

“We are happy with how we are playing but to concede three goals in the last minute of each game has been really disappointing.

“We made a couple of mistakes near the end, especially in the Tranmere game which we should have seen out a bit better, and just little mistakes we have made have been punished.

“We are gutted but we know Northampton will be near the top of the league and I thought we acquitted ourselves well against them.”

He continued: “We saw out a lot of games last season and dug in and ground out results and that’s what we have got to do again.

“The lads are quite happy, and the gaffer is as well, with the performance levels.”

McCombe said it is a lack of composure which is costing York dear at the moment and must be addressed.

“We panicked a few times and kicked a few balls forward when we could have taken our time and passed it but, although over the three games there are things we have done wrong, luck has got to play a part in it,” he added.

“We are obviously making mistakes at the end of games and they are coming back to haunt us at the moment.

“We deserve three clean sheets over the three games. We have limited the other teams to a handful of chances, I would say, and with a bit more luck we could have had three clean sheets.

“We haven’t and it is something we need to address in the coming weeks. We will get some clean sheets and some wins on the board.”