"IT is not other teams we need to worry about, it's ourselves," said manager Steve Watson ahead of York City's visit to Spennymoor Town.

Both teams have been priced among the favourites for the National League North title but only fourth-placed Spennymoor are where they would have been expected to be after three games of term.

On Monday (3pm), City will be playing their second game in three days after they fell to a woeful third defeat of the season, this time at home to Brackley Town.

A good first-half performance, after which bottom side York led 1-0, at the LNER Community Stadium was wiped out by a second 45 devoid of endeavour and Brackley scored twice late on to take the three points.

Asked if a game in quick succession is a positive or a negative for his side, Watson responded: "I said to them, 'You have to find that yourselves. You have to go home and come again on Monday ready to put it right'.

"We've had a really difficult start, not just with the results but with the lads - Josh King is back to full fitness then a close family member gets Covid.

"It seems like everything that can go wrong has gone wrong but there's only one way out of it and that's for everybody to puff their chests out and produce performances full of bottle and bravery.

"I knew it was going to be a tough start but we really have helped teams to beat us along the way," he continued when asked about Monday's opposition.

"Brackley are a good side and they've won three in a row (now) but there's nothing that we could envisaged losing to in the first half.

"Spennymoor is another team constantly in and around the play-offs and they have one of the best, if not the best, goalscorers in the league.

"They're a good side but it's not other teams we need to worry about, it's ourselves. (As) the York City that I know the players are capable of being, nobody really worries us.

"We've got to get our own house in order before we start worrying about other teams.

"I'm not worried about going anywhere but after that second half performance, we all need to dig it out and search ourselves and find the answers."

Spennymoor suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday when they lost 2-1 at Leamington. Rob Ramshaw, netting his second of the season, got a late consolation after the usually reliable Glen Taylor had a penalty saved.

The Brewery Field side, who field former City men Joe Tait and Adriano Moke, have beaten Boston United (2-1 away) and Southport (3-2 at home) thus far this season.