York City 1, Salisbury City 3

He didn't and must have felt his loyalty was misplaced after another home humiliation at KitKat Crescent.

Only the unfortunate Onome Sodje was omitted from McEwan's starting line-up against Salisbury City, but the Wiltshire side followed the likes of fellow footballing minnows Havant and Histon in inflicting defeat on the Minstermen in front of their own fans this season.

Eight losses from 12 home fixtures is an appalling return for last season's play-off finalists and City's players are currently a pale imitation of the exciting, energetic and entertaining sides assembled by McEwan over the last two seasons.

The current players are certainly struggling to match the tempo that characterised McEwan's past sides when opposing teams were often left overwhelmed by the Minstermen's superior fitness levels.

Too many now flit in and out of games, capable of producing fleeting moments of quality only to be followed by long periods of anonymity.

McEwan would not have accepted such standards at any point over the last two seasons and, with one warning unheeded, it will be a surprise if the less lethargic Sodje, Ross Greenwood, Nicky Wroe and Danny Parslow do not start at Weymouth on Saturday.

City's fringe players will, otherwise, be questioning their value and future at the club if they cannot force their way into the team during this low ebb.

On-loan goalkeeper Josh Mimms should also come into contention or return to Liverpool's youth team as Tom Evans is again struggling to justify his number one status at the club.

Evans was culpable for all three visitors' goals on Saturday, but City's problems are not just confined to a lack of confidence between the sticks.

The engine room of the team is misfiring at present, with skipper Manny Panther appearing almost shackled and subdued, displaying none of the athleticism typified by surging forward runs with the ball when he is at his best.

McEwan employed Wroe in an advanced midfield role against Salisbury ahead of Panther and Stuart Elliott and behind striker Craig Farrell, with Paul Brayson and Martyn Woolford employed on the flanks.

But City failed to manage a single goal attempt - on or off target - until Brayson's 35th minute equaliser.

Matt Tubbs had earlier fired in a 30-yard free-kick after Darren Kelly, who was repeatedly penalised for leaning into and climbing on opponents, conceded the fifth-minute set-piece.

Despite lining up his defensive wall, a static Evans could only look on as Tubbs' effort nestled into his bottom right-hand corner.

After their sluggish start, City levelled the scores when Wroe delivered his third corner in quick succession on to the head of an unmarked Brayson three yards from goal.

Sparking into life, Brayson then teed up a chance for Martyn Woolford that the former Frickley winger drove wide of the near post.

City reverted back to a 4-4-2 formation for the second half and Farrell was sent clear on goal by striking partner Brayson 24 seconds after the restart. But he was indecisive and allowed Salisbury 'keeper Ryan Clarke to save at his feet.

Two more chances fell to Farrell on the edge of the box before the visitors regained the lead on 55 minutes.

David McGurk made two headed clearances before Evans could only parry a Matt Robinson volley back out into the path of Wayne Turk, who swept the ball into the roof of the net.

On 71 minutes, Woolford burst into the box after exchanging passes with Brayson, but failed to beat Clarke at his near post when the unmarked Farrell was screaming for a square pass.

Six minutes later, Salisbury made the points safe with a dreadful example of how not to defend a corner kick.

Liam Feeney delivered to the near post from the left and, following a shout from Evans, sub Marvin Brown rose unchallenged by marker Mark Robinson to head into a net vacated by the City 'keeper, who was doing a passable impression of Superman somewhere near the penalty spot.

Sodje had a late header cleared off the line and Brayson also had a shot on the turn blocked inside the six-yard box, but there was to be no consolation for City fans who, far from creating a cauldron of negativity, had expressed patience with their team right until the final whistle. Whether McEwan keeps patience with the same group of players at Weymouth remains to be seen.

Match facts

York City 1 (Brayson 35), Salisbury City 3 (Tubbs 5, Turk 60, Brown 77)

York City: Tom Evans 4, Darren Craddock 4, David McGurk 6, Darren Kelly 5, Mark Robinson 4, Nicky Wroe 6, Stuart Elliott 4, Manny Panther 4, Paul Brayson 6, Craig Farrell 4, Martyn Woolford 6.

Substitutions: Ross Greenwood (for Craddock, 52) 5; Onome Sodje (for Elliott, 63) 6; Richard Brodie (for Kelly, 84)

Subs not used: Mimms, Parslow.

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

City's star man: Woolford - his ability is one of few current causes for optimism at KitKat Crescent.

Salisbury City: Ryan Clarke, Oliver Barnes, Andy Sandell, Aaron Cook, Matt Robinson, Danny Clay, Scott Bartlett (Craig Richards, 46, Jon Beswetherick, 90), Wayne Turk, Liam Feeney, Ian Herring, Matt Tubbs (Marvin Brown, 46).

Subs not used: Luke Prince, Martin Horsell.

Yellow cards: Craddock 14, Matt Robinson 22, Herring 26, Greenwood 90.

Red cards: none.

Shots on target: York 5 Salisbury 10

Shots off target: York 5 Salisbury 1

Corners: York 15 Salisbury 3

Fouls conceded: York 19 Salisbury 13

Offsides: York 3 Salisbury 7

Referee: Michael Naylor (Sheffield).

Rating: fussy, erratic and whistle happy.

Attendance: 2,303.

Mistake of the match: York's defending from a corner for Salisbury's third goal. A Sunday morning manager would have been tearing his hair out.

Shot of the match: Tubbs' first goal was well struck but City's wall was poorly positioned.

Move of the match: Woolford's 71st-minute one-two with Brayson but his final shot on goal was wasteful.

City player watch: Striker Paul Brayson

Goal attempts on target: 1

Goal attempts off target: 0

Blocked goal attempts: 1

Passes to own player: 14

Passes to opposition: 3

Crosses to own player: 1

Crosses to opposition: 4

Pass success rate: 68.2 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 4

Dribbles ball lost: 3

Dribble success rate: 57.1 per cent

Headers: 4 Tackles: 1

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 1

Free-kicks won: 2

Free-kicks conceded: 0

Offsides: 3

Bookings: 0

Final summary: Paul Brayson was one of the few players to come out of the game with any credit. He took his goal well, although he was left completely unmarked in the six-yard box. He also showed some clever touches and beat his man more than he was tackled, as well as winning two free-kicks. Can drift out of games though.