MANAGER Steve Watson insists there is no cause for panic following York City's 1-1 draw with Gateshead at Bootham Crescent.

Jordan Burrow netted the opening goal five minutes in following some great wing play from David Ferguson before Connor Oliver levelled from the spot for Gateshead.

A draw was probably a fair result as Gateshead looked good on the ball for long periods and City - playing their second game in three days - struggled to attack with their usual verve.

But conditions seemed to conspire against the Minstermen. They might have enjoyed playing against the Heed, who were obliging visitors and did not look just to sit back, but for the stifling heat - approaching 30 degrees at times - and the loss of skipper Steve McNulty just 10 minutes in.

His departure saw the introduction of Macaulay Langstaff and a shift to a 4-3-3 formation, which did not yield the desired results it has in the past.

Though obviously a key cog in the York machine, Watson was also keen to stress that McNulty's departure was not the key factor in the stalemate.

The extent of his injury will be known in the next few days.

"You can't win them all," he said. "We lost Macca early but we didn't create enough and we weren't quick enough to the ball and to pass the ball.

"The performance with the ball probably mirrored the conditions.

"Gateshead, to be fair to them, didn't park the bus and they came at us. We had chances to counter.

"We had four strikers on the pitch but they didn't have the impact.

"Macca keeps everybody high - he has the armband for a reason.

"But there was a tendency for the lads to go backwards.

"The pitch looked huge for ages, they sat back on their 18-yard line and if we had passed quicker, we wouldn't got down the sides quicker.

"Our system has been great but when you're 1-0 up at home, I thought we could create more than we did with a 4-3-3. It didn't turn out that way.

"There's nothing to be too worried about - it was just one of those days where we didn't create enough.

"We've got no midweek game, which is a chance for the lads to get their legs back. I'm confident of getting back to winning ways.

"We looked positive but little things crept in that I haven't seen for a long time like taking the step back instead of forward.

"We'll put work into that before Gloucester."

On the difficulties of playing in such heat - which saw the players and officials go off for multiple drinks breaks - he added jokingly: "Me, I was shocking in the heat. I don't think I ever had a good game until November.

"It's tough," he continued. "But it's the same for both teams and I don't think anybody would have found that second game, playing twice in three days, anything other than hard and tough, and that's what we did."