"WE need to have the bottle to play like a proud York City side should," admitted Steve Watson following his side's 2-1 home defeat to Guiseley.

Goals from the visiting Lions came within the opening and closing five minutes of the game, both from former York players. Hamza Bencherif got the opener in the fourth minute and Kaine Felix struck the winner with two minutes to go.

Midfielder Kieran Green - who struck the equaliser on the quarter-hour mark - rightly received plaudits following another strong performance, the calibre of which Watson feels York have been lacking at Bootham Crescent.

York have won just two of their last seven home games, one of which came in the North Riding County FA Senior Cup, and are now four points off the top of National League North, with King's Lynn Town drawing at Alfreton Town.

"I think we can all agree it's not an ability thing," he said. "We've showed that away from home.

"They need to be stronger and puff their chest out when they're playing at Bootham and understand what it's going take to get out of this league and how big a scalp we are.

"We haven't risen to the challenge enough at home. It's puzzling how we can only have lost one away from home and four at home.

"It's something we need to step up to.

"I'm an honest bloke. Certainly at home we need to be massively improved.

"We can't make excuses. On the pitch against Bradford we played some great, confident stuff.

"We have to have more bottle to take the game by the scruff of the neck, be confident and not be afraid to make mistakes.

"To win games you have to take risks and be bold.

"We need to play to our potential every single home game.

"We need to have the bottle to play like a proud York City side should, and that's been lacking the past few games."

He added: "Greeny added to his goal with a fantastic individual goal.

"They didn't really test Pete but did we test their keeper enough? Not really.

"I'm sitting there talking to the players, I could hear them (Guiseley players) cheering and singing - that's what it means to beat York City and if we're not big enough or strong enough or brave enough to take the task on then we can't get to where we want to be."