MARTIN Gray insists York City's "personnel has got to change" if the club's fortunes are to improve.

Speaking in the aftermath of Saturday's 3-2 home defeat to Tamworth, the Minstermen boss pulled no punches in his assessment of what needs to be done to reignite their National League North promotion hopes.

Gray watched his line-up beaten by a last-minute Lambs' winner after battling back from 2-0 behind, with their chances not improved by David Ferguson's second-half sending off.

Pointing the blame squarely at individual defensive errors, the manager remarked: "We're always looking at how we can improve the playing squad but even more so when we're not winning games.

"These performances are happening week-in week-out and that can't be allowed. It's our job to continue to improve the squad, whether we're top of the league, in the middle or at the bottom.

"Funds aren't just there, we've got to sort deals in and deals out. We've got to look at both sides and we can't just keep going to the chairman and asking for more – we've got to balance the books.

"It's a big job, it's a fantastic job and a job I'm enjoying doing. My desire and hunger for what I want for this club is exactly what the club needs.

"But things have to change and personnel has got to change because if we don't we'll never move forward and I won't allow that to happen. I've seen everything over four weeks now and things have got to change."

Tamworth striker Reece Styche was the beneficiary of City's defensive charity on Saturday, netting either side of half-time to give the Lambs a two-goal advantage.

And, although the Minstermen roared back through Jon Parkin and debutant Daniel Rowe, Gray's men were hit by a last-minute sucker punch when Darryl Knights fired home the visitors' winner.

The boss added: "If you gift teams goals then you give yourself a mountain to climb.

"I'm disappointed, angry and hurt because we showed great character to get back into the game, but if you look back over the goals from the last two games, we've conceded six and gifted four of them.

"It's indiscipline. I'm not going to dig any players out, I'll do that behind closed doors, but if you see the possession we gave away under no pressure, that's what disappoints you.

"On the training ground where there's no pressure they keep the ball there, but you've got to be able to deal with pressure and expectations at York City. This club deserves better and it hurts."

He continued: "I'm the manager and I pride myself on what we do on the training ground.

"We work very hard on how we want to do things offensively and defensively, and the lads have got to start showing some character, start listening and cut out the errors. If they don't we will never be able to progress.

"You've got to keep working hard and believing in what you do. You've got to keep being brave on the ball – making big tackles is what's expected, it's about being brave on the ball, trusting each other and dealing with the ball under great pressure. We didn't do that on Saturday."

Explaining Hamza Bencherif's absence at centre-half and providing an update on Louis Almond's injury sustained in the second half, Gray said: "Hamza pulled up injured in training, so it was a change we didn't want to make but equally the mistakes we made on Saturday were individual errors. We're making big errors and it's cost us massively.

"I'm sure Hamza will be back for next weekend, it's not a long-term one and there's no real concerns there.

"It didn't look good with Louis' shoulder. He's come in the last two games and made a real impact, so we'll have to assess that one as well."

On Ferguson's 62nd-minute sending off – for hauling back Tamworth substitute Bradley Reid – Gray commented: "I think it was the correct decision. Our left-back at the time is covering for centre halves from one through ball.

"Why he's having to do that I don't know, but again it's indiscipline. He ends up making enough contact to give the referee an easy decision."