YORK City boss Neal Ardley thought his side had to match Southend United before being able to beat them.

The Minstermen secured a 1-0 win at Roots Hall on Saturday with Lenell John-Lewis scoring the only goal of the game late on.

But Ardley felt City's work-rate was key.

“We had to try and come away with something,” Ardley told the club’s Twitter account.

“If you’re going to win at Southend you have to win the battle first and earn the right.

“If I’d have come out here and played open, slow football they press you very high and have incredible intensity.

“Against Gateshead we showed the footage to the lads, they put 10 crosses into the box in the first 10minutes.

“They’re a big team who ask questions and we had to set the lads up for that intense game.”

And that was also reflected in Ardley’s team selection.

“People must have thought it was a defensive team but it was a running team who had the legs to do what they do,” said Ardley.

“In order to keep a clean sheet and be in the game that’s what we needed to do.

“As the game wore on we started to throw the boys on who we thought might make a difference.”

York are now 17th in the National League table