YORK City boss Billy McEwan is ready to ring the changes after last week's embarrassing FA Cup exit to part-timers Havant and Waterlooville.

The Minstermen return to Blue Square Premier action with a home match against Salisbury City tomorrow afternoon (3pm) and McEwan is demanding an improved performance from his players.

City will leapfrog mid-table Salisbury if they can take three points against the Wiltshire side, and McEwan believes a different starting line-up could be the key to achieving that target.

He said: "The players have been given a kick up the backside this week and we may look to change the team. A lot of places are under threat because last weekend wasn't good enough for this football club and I'm looking for a vast improvement.

"The result was a big disappointment for York City and there will be consequences from that defeat. I also look at performances in training and if you are not training well you might find yourself out of the team as well."

The financial impact of last week's FA Cup defeat and dropping home attendances also means McEwan is now looking to trim his 24-man squad, with midfielder Russell Fry being loaned out to UniBond League outfit North Ferriby United.

l From Back Page Other players such as defenders Carl Jones and Anthony Lloyd, who are both struggling to make the first-team bench, could also join clubs in similar temporary deals, with McEwan saying: "One or two might have to go out on loan as we have to try and offset the Cup defeat in terms of losing revenue."

McEwan would not reveal which players are in line for recalls and who could face the chop ahead of tomorrow's game, but Nicky Wroe, Ross Greenwood, Alex Rhodes and Ben Purkiss could all come into contention, with fit-again striker Chris Beardsley also pressing.

All five figured in the reserves' 2-1 defeat at Hartlepool on Wednesday night during a performance that encouraged the City manager, who said: "Aside from conceding a couple of silly goals, I was delighted with them. Our young winger Liam Shepherd scored again and is doing very well. Adam Boyes also got a run-out at the age of 16, which is good."

About the threat of Salisbury, who have not won in their last nine fixtures, McEwan said: "They've done really well to come up from the league below and if we play like we did in the first half against Havant, we will get turned over."

City (probable): Evans, Purkiss, McGurk, Kelly, Robinson, Wroe, Elliott, Panther, Woolford, Farrell, Sodje.

Subs: Mimms, Parslow, Brayson, Beardsley, Brodie.

Salisbury (probable): R Clarke, Sandell, Cook, Richards, Robinson, Turk, Bartlett, D Clarke, Feeney, Brown, Tubbs.

Subs: Clay, Horsell, Prince, Matthews, Barnes.

Referee: Michael Naylor (S Yorkshire).