YORK City boss Billy McEwan was lamenting his team's performance at both ends of the pitch as City crashed 2-0 at home to Halifax on Monday.

The result effectively ended the Minstermen's hopes of a play-off place.

A mistake by goalkeeper Chris Porter saw Halifax take the lead but striker Joe O'Neill also missed two good chances before former City midfielder Steve Bushell secured victory late on.

McEwan added: "We contibuted to our own downfall because we missed very good opportunities and gave two bad goals away that Halifax did not have to work for.

"The defence should have dealt with the second one because the ball was in the air for half-an-hour and the first goal was the wrong decision. The goalkeeper should not have come for the cross and we have to work on that but he made a terrific save to keep us in the game so he doesn't carry the can. Nobody does at this club, except me, because I pick the team and the tactics."

The City boss reverted to a 4-3-3 formation, recalling O'Neill and moving Steve Thomas into the centre of midfield. David McGurk switched to right back with Mark Hotte returning in the centre of defence and midfielders Mark Convery and Neal Bishop dropping to the bench. Dave Merris was recalled with Nathan Peat suspended after his red card at Cambridge.

Explaining the changes, McEwan said: "We needed a game plan to outfox them and, if we had stuck our chances away, we could have beaten them."

Updated: 10:25 Tuesday, April 18, 2006