SMARTING York City boss Gary Mills railed against booing home fans after Saturday’s 1-0 FA Trophy semi-final, first-leg victory over nine-man Luton Town at Bootham Crescent.

City forged ahead in the tie when Jamie Reed converted a 14th-minute penalty after Hatters’ left-winger Jake Howells had been sent off for handball.

But, despite the visitors also having midfielder Keith Keane red carded on 55 minutes for two bookable offences, the Minstermen could not add to their lead ahead of Saturday’s return leg at Kenilworth Road.

At the final whistle, Mills rounded on small pockets of the Bootham Crescent crowd that voiced their frustration at the team’s performance when he fumed: “After the players had worked so hard to beat Luton 1-0, I heard booing when I came off the field and could not believe what I was hearing.

“If we put nine men behind the ball then I’d like to see how many times the opposition score. I’d be disappointed if we let in two or three and, fair play to them, they defended well.

“Yes, we could have done better in situations but to get booed off is beyond me. We are taking a lead into the second leg of the FA Trophy semi-final and to get booed for that is unbelievable. We have kept four clean sheets on the trot and another one means we go to Wembley. It’s as simple as that.”

Mills added that he felt his side were in the ascendancy prior to the dismissals, which he thought stiffened the Hatters’ resolve.

“We started the game superbly and deserved to take the lead but what’s happened then has happened,” the City chief said. “Going down to ten men and then nine probably gave them a bit more steel.”

Mills started the match with full-backs James Meredith and Lanre Oyebanjo in a three-man midfield alongside Scott Kerr.

Oyebanjo limped out of the action early in the second half after turning his ankle, leaving him doubtful for tomorrow night’s league game at Grimsby.

The Republic of Ireland under-21 international has now played in three different positions in as many games, having previously switched from right-back to centre-back against Hayes & Yeading and, on his latest role, Mills added: “We completely changed the midfield to win a lot of second balls.

“I thought James Meredith and Lanre did superbly well. Lanre’s an attacking full-back who likes to get forward but he slotted in nicely for us in midfield.

“It’s not easy to change position but he has real quality and his corner led to our penalty. I hope he’s okay for tomorrow.”

Minutes before Oyebanjo’s replacement, Moses Ashikodi also had to be substituted after receiving treatment from physio Jeff Miller in only his second start for City but Mills added: “He’s fine.”