YORK City manager David Webb believes that the Minstermen’s loss to Southend United was ‘harsh’, after a Jack Bridge brace saw Southend United run out 2-0 victors.

Webb’s side have now managed just two victories in their last 16 league games, a run which extends into the John Askey reign, and are now just four points adrift of the relegation zone.

But with a brace from Bridge and a injury-plagued City squad at Webb’s disposal, the York manager felt the manner of the result was ‘harsh’ after a gritted performance.

“It was so deflating for them.” Webb admitted.

“I can see the lads felt like they had had the stuffing knocked out of them, they literally emptied the tank for us out there today.

“They did themselves proud on that, the work rate we couldn’t argue with.

“But it was disappointing to come away with a 2-0, I thought that was harsh.

“I thought the work rate was good. I thought we battled hard and I thought it was a game to see who was better in both boxes.

“We started off slow in the first 15 to 20 minutes and in the last 25 minutes we came into it, we had a couple of chances in the second half but goals win games. And they were more clinical in both boxes.

“We just need to take our chances, we created enough today. We definitely need to test their goalkeeper and nick the goals. I didn’t see the penalty, I wasn’t too sure on it. And obviously with that second goal it’s just floated over Ross but again it is just a case of two boxes. In the middle we battled well and worked hard, the players run their hearts out. I can’t ask anymore of them than that.

Bridge is now Southend’s joint top scorer this season, and was identified as their key man prior to kick-off.

But after a clumsy foul from Dan Pybus on the Southend midfielder, Bridge stepped up to comfortably gift the Shrimpers the lead.

He doubled his tally just seven minutes later, with an audacious chip catching Ethan Ross out before nesting into the net.

“Southend were more clinical and they’ve won the game.

“When we came in at half-time I thought we were on top for the last 25 minutes of the first half. We just had to go out and get an early goal.

“That was our game plan, to try and attack and to get an early goal.

“We had a couple of half-chances and Ollie [Tanner] maybe should have took one when it came out, but again the ball just does not roll our way.

“I think there’s certain games where we have been beat, we’ve been beat well. But I don’t think we were beaten well today.

“The effort and the hardwork were there and we’ve just got to be better in both boxes.”