NICK Holmes was far from impressed after his side were held 1-1 at home to Blue Square Premier strugglers Farsley Celtic on Saturday.

After a dour first half at a rain-drenched Raymond McEnhill Stadium, City went behind moments after the restart when Damien Reeves pounced at the near post, connecting with Stephen Downes' low cross from the right to beat Ryan Clarke.

It took an 87th minute own goal to restore parity - Celtic skipper Amjad Iqbal turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Darrell Clarke following a cross by lively substitute Rob Sinclair.

Holmes, whose side still have an outside chance of making the promotion play-offs, accepted that the relegation-threatened Yorkshiremen had outplayed his charges, and could understand their disappointment at heading home with only a share of the spoils.

"I thought they did very well," he said afterwards. "They were better than us on the day.

"Farsley showed a lot more about them than some of the sides we've played of late.

"They made things very difficult for us and played like us when we're on a good day. But today wasn't a good day!"

City's recent 12-game unbeaten run had lifted them from mid-table to the fringes of the play-offs. However, the draw meant Whites have banked just two points from their last three outings.

"We have to be happy with the point," Holmes added.

"Last week (at Crawley Town) we were gasping - we deserved much more than a point, but it's gone the other way today - so it's swings and roundabouts."

The Whites manager said he thought only goalkeeper Ryan Clarke, whose man of the match performance kept City in contention, and substitute Sinclair could hold their heads high following such a poor display in front of a home crowd of 1,081 - their lowest league gate of the campaign.

"I think Clarkey made more saves today than he did during the 12-game unbeaten run. But that's football."

Holmes believed they had addressed a lifeless first 45-minute display with some home truths during the interval, but City were caught cold almost immediately at the start of the second half as Farsley upped the tempo.

"At half-time they all said what they were going to do and that they were going to get better. But they took a minute to actually get worse and allow Farsley to score the goal."

Just past the hour mark Holmes gambled with a double substitution - Sinclair and leading marksman Matt Tubbs replacing full back Jon Bass and Ashley Barnes. Scott Bartlett dropped back into defence allowing Sinclair to press forward from midfield.

"You make a couple of changes and you hope something comes of it," explained the City boss.

"We had probably half a side who weren't at the races today, but you're not allowed to put that many subs on. Robbie Sinclair's done ever so well to set up the goal and he and Clarkey were the exceptions to the rule today.

"Our decision making was wrong. If we had two options we chose option B when option A was the right one.

"It's strange - but that's football. That's the way it goes."

4:51pm Thursday 20th March 2008

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