YORK City caretaker manager Sam Collins challenged his players to match Simon Heslop’s passing accuracy following a 1-1 draw at Hereford.

Ex-Luton and Wrexham midfielder Heslop earned the temporary chief’s plaudits despite Collins admitting his team failed to retain possession in the manner he wanted after forging ahead at Edgar Street through Macaulay Langstaff’s third goal of the season.

The Minstermen subsequently took a lead into the interval but had to settle for a share of the spoils following Mike McGrath’s 65th-minute equaliser for the hosts.

It was a result that extended Collins’ unbeaten reign to a third match, with five points taken from a possible nine and, delivering his post-match verdict, the Pontefract-born, 41-year-old reasoned: “I thought we were in control of the game in the first half other than a couple of chances they had from set-plays.

“We were looking to play the way we are capable of doing and we opened them up a few times but, in the second half, we didn’t have any good possession other than a ten-minute spell after they scored. Their goal was also disappointing because we lost possession by playing a ball forward.

“We were nowhere near their man on the edge of the box either for the shot and it looked like Adam Bartlett was unsighted. The only time we have problems is when we cause them ourselves by being wasteful with the ball but we’re getting there and getting better as the players get used to how I want to play.

“I thought Hessie (Simon Heslop) was outstanding and I don’t think he gave the ball away once. Our two centre-halves were nice and solid defensively too.

“Overall, we weren’t as good as we were on Monday (in a 2-0 home win against Blyth), but Hereford will be a tough place for anybody to come and get three points with their crowd behind them and we’d have probably taken one before the game.”

Langstaff’s goal came after a flowing move that saw Josh Law and Kallum Griffiths combine to create space for Jon Parkin, who helped the ball on to the far post for the ex-Gateshead forward to net from three yards.

On that 24th-minute effort, Collins added: “We’ve been working at getting two players between the width of the goal when crosses are going in and, whether we believe him or not, Jon said he meant to play in Macaulay, who was following in like every good striker to get himself a goal.”

City are without a game next weekend due to scheduled hosts Nuneaton having three players called up for international duty, including ex-Bootham Crescent midfielder Theo Wharton, who has been selected for the St Kitts & Nevis squad.

Assuming he is still at the helm, Collins will be running the rule over the Minstermen’s next opponents at Bootham Crescent on Saturday, September 15.

“I’ll go and watch Kidderminster (v Blyth) and we’ll maybe cover a couple of games between us,” he explained.