DARREN Mansaram and Nathan Peat will be sweating on their starting places for York City's Conference clash at Grays Athletic tomorrow after being fined for indiscipline.

Both players incurred the wrath of manager Billy McEwan after receiving yellow cards during Tuesday night's 4-1 victory at Soutport.

Mansaram was immediately substituted after going nose to nose with Southport full-back Chris Lane before shoving him in the chest while Peat's reckless first-half challenge also earned a caution, leaving him walking a tightrope for the rest of the match.

Last season's top scorer Andy Bishop and Evening Press Player of the Year Dave Merris could now come into contention for recalls after McEwan made it clear that he found the behaviour of Mansaram and Peat unacceptable.

The City boss said: "One of my aims is to win the Fair Play League because I want to win things but I want to win them fairly. That doesn't mean we will be choir boys. We will look after ourselves but it will be controlled not brainless aggression.

"I still want the players to go in strong for tackles and I realise the odd one will be late. I won't punish them for that but I know when players have been unlucky, when the referee has been wrong or when a player has made a careless mistake.

"What Nathan Peat did at Southport was careless and what Darren Mansaram did was absolutely frightening. Their actions nearly cost the team two players and, if we carry on like that in the future, we won't have a side.

"Hopefully, they will learn from it and the team will. The players all have a list of rules and regulations and know what they will be fined for."

Mansaram's indiscretion particularly baffled McEwan as a three-match ban could have ended his one-month loan period after just four days with the club.

He said: "Halifax want to move him on and I have told him if he wants to be a York City player he has to do better than that. The ability is there but we want players at the football club who can handle themselves properly.

"What he did was silly and scandalous and he will be fined heavily because I'm not having that. If he wants to be a York City player, or even a footballer, he has to cut that out of his game because no manager would put up with that."

About Peat, McEwan added: "He will also get fined. What he did meant I had to keep my fingers crossed that he didn't get booked again for another challenge.

"He's done that twice since he's been here and you have to be in control of your emotions and not let the red mist come down."

McEwan added that unlike England reserve goalkeeper David James during the second half of Wednesday night's 4-1 international defeat in Denmark, City's footballers would be meticulously prepared for the trip to fellow early pace-setters Grays.

He said: "I couldn't believe what I was hearing when he said that. All players have a duty to be professional and dedicated to give themselves the best chance of performing. Our players have a duty to do that and try and give our fans another good day.

"Grays is a big test for us and they will be full of confidence after their 6-1 win but our fans can help us again. The support was magnificent at Southport and I would like to thank them on behalf of myself and the players."

Updated: 11:36 Friday, August 19, 2005