YORK City boss Russ Wilcox was left cursing a “cruel game” after watching his side go down 2-1 at home to Hartlepool.

The Minstermen hit the bar and had two chances cleared off the line before Reece Thompson’s first Football League goal opened the scoring on 57 minutes.

But journeyman forward Billy Paynter levelled with a spectacular strike and York-born midfielder Michael Woods snatched an ill-deserved 81st-minute winner, courtesy of a huge deflection off City’s James Berrett.

A disbelieving Wilcox said: “It was a cruel game. I’ve asked the lads to be more entertaining at home and the first 45 minutes was probably the best we’ve played since I’ve been here.

“Some of our play was outstanding but it all boiled down to what happened in both boxes and we need to be a bit more clinical, especially in the first half when we dominated. We should have been 3-0 or 4-0 up with the game dead and buried but Billy Paynter scored a world-class goal and that was the difference.

“It was a wonderful piece of skill and goals change mindsets. If he had been in our team, maybe we walk off winners, but they then got a lucky second goal that was going wide until it hit James Berrett.”

Defeat means the third-bottom Minstermen have lost both of their opening two Sky Bet League Two fixtures, either side of the thrilling Capital One Cup conquest of Bradford.

But Wilcox, whose team are back in action at Bootham Crescent against Yeovil on Tuesday night, took some solace from their latest performance, reasoning: “No points from two games is disappointing but we deserved to beat Hartlepool, so losing is hard to swallow.

“We have to be encouraged by our last two performances though. We bounced back after the Wycombe defeat and have got to do the same again now.

“We had more opportunities than we have had for a long time at Bootham against Hartlepool, so we’ve just got to take that into the Yeovil game now, but get a win at the end of it.”

Following the exertions of the midweek triumph over Bradford when penalties decided the outcome after 120 minutes of football, Wilcox also defended his decision to only make one substitution – Jake Hyde for Thompson on 76 minutes - against Hartlepool, arguing that heavy legs were not responsible for defeat.

“There might be complaints that we didn’t freshen things up with more substitutes but I thought we looked fit and strong,” he explained. “We were full of energy.

“We mixed it up a bit by passing and moving the ball but also getting it up the pitch early, at times, because we caused problems against Bradford doing that, with Vadaine winning the ball and Reece getting in behind them. We didn’t tire and that wasn’t the reason we conceded late.

“The goals weren’t down to physical fatigue and the only disappointment I have is that we gave the ball away for both.”

The City chief added that he was delighted to see 21-year-old Thompson hit the net for a first time in professional football, following his move from Frickley Athletic earlier this month.

“Reece has got off the mark now and he deserves that because, along with quite a few others, he’s been terrific in our first three games,” Wilcox declared. “He will believe that he can play at this level now.

“He showed that before, but the goal will give him the kick-start to get more and I think our fans will love him because he’s whole-hearted and fully-committed. I also felt sorry for Vadaine because he had a couple of chances well saved.”

The date for City's Capital One Cup second round trip to Premier League Swansea has been confirmed as Tuesday, August 25, kick-off 7.45pm.