YORK City caretaker boss Viv Busby was asking the board today if he can bring in two new players this week.

Busby wants to strengthen his squad and, despite financial considerations, the Minstermen's directors could be receptive with yesterday's 2-0 home defeat to Scarborough leaving the Bootham Crescent club just two points and one place above the Conference North drop zone going into the New Year.

Doncaster Rovers defender Jon Maloney made his debut against Scarborough after arriving on a one-month loan deal but Busby would like to make two more signings before Saturday's trip to fifth-placed Stevenage Borough.

City's acting manager said: "I will be having a word with the board to see whether we can maybe add one or two bodies to see if we can bolster things up a bit. I would like to try to do that this week as it would give us more options going to Stevenage."

Maloney, 19, has made one appearance as a substitute for Doncaster but has been restricted to reserve team football this season at Belle Vue.

As a result, he tired towards the end of yesterday's match and was replaced on 84 minutes with Scarborough going on to grab two goals after his departure necessitated a defensive reshuffle.

Afterwards, Busby said: "We got in touch with Dave Penney about Jon because Chris Brass looks like he will be out for six weeks. We needed to shake it up a bit with another central defender and he did well.

"He knows the game for a young lad, imposed himself and took up good positions but he held his hand up and admitted he was tired at the end. He has been playing for the reserves and not had a game for two weeks and was coming straight into a derby game played at 100 miles per hour."

Busby admitted that Scarborough's late goals were a "killer blow" and bemoaned his side's lack of fortune but also said that he was otherwise pleased with his players' performance and believes similar displays will improve the club's current perilous league position.

He said: "The first goal came from a throw-in and it fell to their only man in the box and he bobbled it in. You've got to ask when are we going to get one like that?

"They then got another as we pushed forward and it was a killer blow. The lads are so despondent but they did really well, especially in the first half, and the effort and commitment was what we have been asking for. They responded to the criticism after Burton and if we keep playing with that purpose something will go for us down the line."

Maloney was one of three defensive changes made from Wednesday night's starting line up, partnering stand-in skipper Paul Groves in the centre, with Shaun Smith returning from suspension at left back.

On-loan Aston Villa defender Lee Grant and Sean Davies dropped out and Busby said: "Lee has not played a lot of football this season at Aston Villa. He was tremendous in the first three or four games for us but he told me the other day that he's never played so many games on the bounce.

"Against Burton, he was a little bit off it and admitted to me that he felt a bit mentally tired and in a daze. Like Sean Davies, he's only 19 and I thought it was time to bring them out.

"I thought Paul Groves was magnificent in defence, Jon Maloney was also different class and I couldn't fault Michael Staley and Shaun Smith either."

Busby was also pleased with 17-year-old midfielder Byron Webster's full debut and praised goalkeeper Chris Porter, who he preferred to teenager David Stockdale for the second successive game.

The City caretaker boss added: "Bryon Webster was very good. He worked his socks off, defended well, put his tackles in and made forward runs. He was not phased by the situation again which, for a 17-year-old, is encouraging.

"Chris Porter has also done all that I expected of him. He's talked well and got good distance on his kicks."

Updated: 09:58 Monday, January 03, 2005