YORK City boss Billy McEwan issued a public apology to his team's supporters and on-loan West Brom striker Rob Elvins after Saturday's 2-0 home defeat to Conference bottom club Tamworth.

The Minstermen were booed off the pitch at half-time and full-time as goals from visiting strikers Jake Edwards and Taiwo Atieno gave Tamworth their first league win since November.

An embarrassed McEwan labelled his players' display the worst by any team since his arrival at KitKat Crescent two years ago.

He also withdrew a service-starved Elvins after 58 minutes and said aftewards: "I have to apologise to the fans because it was a shocking performance.

"I felt sorry for them because they have paid good money and watched crap. I also felt sorry for the young lad whose here on loan because he got no help.

"The display was unrecognisable from the York City side I am used to seeing and the worst performance from any of the sides I have had since I have been here. I can't believe what I witnessed.

"We have got to show more desire. We will not get a play-off place playing like that and I won't be here because they will get me the sack."

McEwan also ordered his players in for training yesterday to analyse and eradicate Saturday's problems, adding: "We were dozy but they had more time off in the week before this game than at any other time since I've been York City manager. There will be no more time off, though, if they play like that.

"Tamworth are part-timers and played on Tuesday. We didn't. We had Monday and Tuesday off but that will never happen again. You have to earn your time off, which they did after a tough period, but it didn't do any good.

"There's not been many of those performances so one in two years is not bad. Maybe they throw in a blip like that every now and again to remind us they are Conference players and maybe we have been getting carried away with some of the great football they have been playing but we won't be sweeping it under the carpet and saying it will be okay next week.

"We have got to get back on the training ground to work on the basics and learn from this match."

McEwan also felt last week's news of suspended top scorer Clayton Donaldson's summer transfer to Hibernian caused a distraction during his side's preparations for Tamworth's visit, although he refused to offer that as a reason for the defeat.

He said: "There's been a lot of indecision with the Donaldson situation and it's caused unsettlement in the camp. They can't use that as an excuse but it has not helped and he was sitting in the stand so he has to take his share of the blame.

"He did not help the situation at the club but he's still a York City player and will come under consideration to be selected now, and the way we played there's a good chance he will return."

Byron Webster, who was released by City last week at his own request, played for Harrogate Town in their Conference North loss to Scarborough on Saturday.