YORK City boss Jackie McNamara claimed it was “10 v 12” as his side suffered a stoppage-time defeat at Forest Green.

With the score at 1-1, the Minstermen lost Simon Heslop on 73 minutes after the skipper was sent off, having been shown two yellow cards.

Controversial referee Steven Rushton then awarded a last-gasp penalty for the hosts, which was confidently converted by long-time City nemesis Matt Tubbs.

Richard Brodie’s 20th-minute opener had earlier been cancelled out by a Rhys Murphy reply, but the visitors’ display was a marked improvement on the 6-1 midweek mauling at Gateshead.

It was Mr Rushton, though, who took centre stage as he showed cards to seven City players in total and an infuriated McNamara fumed: “I don’t think we deserved that.

“The players were terrific, especially in the first 30 minutes when we could have been 3-0 up, instead of 1-0. But I was disappointed with the first goal we lost, because I thought Jack Higgins was taken out and there was so much inconsistency with the cards that were shown.

“There were decisions that should have been made for challenges on Aidan Connolly, but our players would make one foul and then get booked. The first yellow card for Simon (Heslop) was fair enough but he slipped for the second one and, if you were given bookings for things like that all game, he would have had to show even more cards.

“It’s hard enough when it’s 10 v 11, let alone 10 v 12 and, for their penalty, I’ve looked back at the video and their lad pulled Shaun Rooney first, but he’s given them the foul.”

The ex-Dundee United chief was, nevertheless, encouraged by his team’s response to the debacle at Gateshead after changing to a 4-3-3 formation against the pre-season favourites for the National League title “It was a disappointing result, but it was the reaction I wanted from the Gateshead game,” McNamara explained. “We changed things around and looked dangerous, although we could have hurt them more with our final pass.

“We lost our way a bit after their equaliser, but got back into it and I didn’t feel they were causing us many problems and couldn’t see them scoring, even after the sending off so, to have that happen at the end, was very disappointing.”

Brodie, meanwhile, was praised for his performance after he netted for a second successive game.

“He took his goal really well,” the City chief added. “It was a fantastic finish and he was terrific leading the line for us and bringing others into play.

“He’s getting a lot fitter and it was a big shift from him. I’m delighted to have him at the club.”