YORK City boss Gary Mills has urged the club’s supporters not to give up after the gap to National League survival widened to eight points.

The Minstermen became the first visiting side to avoid defeat at table-topping Lincoln in ten games during a 1-1 draw with Jon Parkin’s first-half opener cancelled out by Alan Power’s 76th-minute equaliser.

But victories for relegation rivals Woking, Sutton, Guiseley, Maidstone and Braintree means Mills’ men moved further adrift from a position of safety.

With a dozen matches still left to play, though, the City boss wants the performance at Lincoln to serves as a boost for anybody doubting the club’s ability to stave off the threat of regionalised football.

He said: “My message to our fans, who were fantastic again at Lincoln, is don’t give up and don’t stop believing because, if we give absolutely everything like we did at Lincoln, we can get the wins we need to finish fifth-bottom if that’s what it takes. Everybody can see they are fighting and fighting and fighting to get results.

“I know there’s been a fair amount of talk about our second halves against Brackley and Gateshead but, for me, it people analyse the last 15 games, we have been playing consistently and could have got something out of all of them. The players were on their knees after the Lincoln game and I was proud of them.

“I know we’ve got to turn the draws into wins, but we’ll keep working hard.”

City shocked the FA Cup quarter-finalists when Parkin grabbed his ninth goal of the season on 14 minutes with Mills heralding a fine team goal, adding: “I thought Asa (Hall) got on the ball and broke things up well for us and he played the ball for the goal to Hessie (Simon Heslop), who picked out a pass in the box, which I love to see.

“Then, I’d always fancy Parky to score in that position, because he doesn’t panic and it was a good move all round.”

Despite the impact of results elsewhere, Mills went on to insist that his players must look to take control of their own destiny, starting with Saturday’s home match against mid-table Eastleigh.

“We nullified Lincoln in the first half and then came under a bit of pressure in the second, but I felt comfortable with that, so it was disappointing for all the hard work, that we didn’t quite get the three points,” Mills reasoned. “We had a good shape about us and nearly pulled it off, but not quite.

“We would have probably taken one point at Lincoln beforehand, but we’ve now got to back that up with three points on Saturday, because we need wins.”

City will need to monitor Vadaine Oliver ahead of the weekend, after he limped out of the Sincil Bank action at half-time with a dead leg.

“Losing Vadaine to a dead leg was a blow, but Scott Fenwick put a shift in and did a job for us,” Mills said. “But we’re hoping he will be OK now for Saturday, because we keep losing players for different reasons.”

New signing Derwin Martina will be available for that match, subject to international clearance, with Mills warning the former Ajax academy player that he must hit the ground running.

“I’ve told Derwin we’re not in a situation where he has two or three weeks to settle in,” Mills explained. “He’s got to be ready straight away and, if we get international clearance, I’ll have a decision to make on whether he starts or is involved in the squad on Saturday.

“Everybody knows people in the game and I’ve been looking for an attacking wing-back. Derwin came up on the radar and is available.

“We’ve just got to get international clearance and I’m hoping he can be the player that the people who have been looking for me believe he is, because I have seen him, but they’ve seen him a lot more.”

The Minstermen’s trip to Macclesfield, scheduled for next Tuesday, has now been postponed with the latter now playing their FA Trophy replay against Dulwich Hamlet that night after it was snowed off.

Tuesday, March 28 is expected to be the new date for the match with Mills welcoming the brief respite from midweek action.

“It might be a godsend to a have a free week, before we prepare for an incredible run of games,” he pointed out. “It will be full-on with not a lot of training going on, but a lot of resting bodies and minds to make sure the players are mentally and physically prepared for each game.”