FOR every action, there's a reaction. It's imperative that we make ours a positive one on Saturday.

On paper, there couldn't be a worse time to be going to York City with them winning six of their last seven games. But, perhaps for us, we couldn't have picked a better time.

We have proved against the likes of Grays, Exeter and Hereford that we can stand up and be counted on the occasions we've been classed as slight underdogs.

Saturday is possibly a game that we might not be favourites to win. They have come from nowhere to more or less cement themselves in the play-offs, it's a big game and there will be a massive crowd behind them.

Hopefully it will be an occasion that we will respond to.

We've struggled against so-called inferior opposition all season. If we put Southport into that category we fell for the sucker punch again on Tuesday night.

Having said that, even though we had 10 men for the whole of the second half, I thought we dominated, had more possession and five or six clear-cut chances, a clear penalty turned down and we missed a penalty as well.

If that spot kick had gone in, I think we might have gone on to get a draw because we'd thrown caution to the wind, gone two at the back and they'd ended up with one up front and were hanging on for dear life.

It wasn't to be, though, and you get games like that. I know the fans are disappointed and a bit anxious, but they've got to remember what we've done and what we're trying to achieve.

Teams do have setbacks but we haven't become a bad team overnight.

What's important is that we re-group and regain our focus.

A big concern is after one sending off in 32 games - with Chris Butler's dismissal at Morecambe - we've had four in our last four games.

It's left our defence a bit thin on the ground, but we have the personnel to cover.

We've looked into bringing someone in before the deadline today. But, if not, we've still got Phil Edwards, Michael Welch and Danny Ventre, Steve Jagielka can play at the back as well and we're hoping Peter Cavanagh will be fit to return.