DEMORALISED coach Garry Atkins has accused some of the York Wasps players of "throwing in the towel" after yesterday's 56-12 hammering by Featherstone Rovers at the Lionheart Stadium.

Atkins will now be seeking a meeting with new owner John Stabler to discuss the club's future.

Caretaker coach Atkins is unsure about his own position as Stabler has yet to reveal his plans for next season. He will also be asking Stabler to meet with the players this week to put them in the picture about what will happen over the coming weeks.

But he claimed: "It doesn't matter who the coach is next year - they've got to inject some playing personnel. The best coach in the world wouldn't do any good without the playing staff.

"I think the forwards are going really well, it's just a shame that the backs let them down. I hate to say it because I'm a back myself but some of our backs just aren't of the quality you need at this standard."

Atkins believes some of the players have now given up on the current campaign and are doing nothing more than playing out the remaining matches.

"I'm really disappointed. I feel some of the lads have thrown the towel in. They want to see the end of the season," said Atkins.

"Some of the things that have been happening off the pitch are maybe affecting them but they shouldn't be.

"We started really well today then we've crept into a game where we've made errors and they've capitalised and scored every time.

"I've said before that our defence has been brilliant but today it was amateurish. It was non-existent. We were just shirt grabbing.

"Then decisions don't go their way and their heads go down. They think the world's against them. I've just got to try and be positive and try to instill some enthusiasm in the last few games but it's going to be really tough."

Atkins handed a debut to former Sheffield Eagles Academy utility back Matthew Mulholland.

The Rotherham-based 19-year-old, who has been playing with National Conference League side Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks, has been training with York for three weeks.

Injuries to several of the backs prompted Atkins to play him at full-back but he struggled in the first half and moved out to the wing in the second.

"I had a bit of a stinker - I've played better," admitted Mulholland, who had little opportunity on the ball to show his skills.

"I don't think the team saw much of the ball. It was a tough game - it's not a nice place to come. We made a lot of basic errors and if you make basic errors you get punished.

"You've got to give them (Featherstone) credit though. They are a good side but our defence helped them."

Despite a difficult first game for the youngster, Atkins still believes he has a big future in the game.

"If we had enough players he wouldn't have played but we've got no backs. I felt confident he would do us a good job but unfortunately he got thrown in at the deep end and missed tackles at crucial times.

"When we moved him to the wing he performed a lot better.

"If he knuckles down and keeps improving then he's got a good future.

"If he applies himself we'll see a lot more of him."