YORK City manager Billy McEwan is considering adopting a less adventurous approach to away games after watching his side lose 2-1 at Accrington Stanley.

McEwan dispensed with his three-pronged strike force after 49 minutes of Saturday's match when Joe O'Neill was replaced by Bryan Stewart and he is now contemplating whether or not to use the formation again on the road.

The Minstermen have lost three of their last six away fixtures in the Conference and McEwan is keen to pick up more points away from KitKat Crescent.

Andy Bishop's 61st-minute equaliser - his tenth goal of the season - saw his name on the scoresheet for a fifth successive match but it could not bring any reward for the Minstermen who fell behind again seven minutes later.

Accrington leapfrogged City in the table after Saturday's result and, having seen his side slip from second to fourth, McEwan said: "We have got to do better than that if we want to do anything at all.

"We might need to think about things away from home now. Maybe we are too adventurous.

"If we are going to play with three strikers then they have got to create more chances than we did, We never threatened them enough and the front three were disappointing as a unit."

McEwan added that nine-goal marksman Clayton Donaldson's threat was probably blunted by a back injury that saw him miss training on Friday and face a late fitness test.

The City boss also admitted that Emmanuel Panther's presence was missed in midfield with Lev Yalcin drafted in as a replacement for the second successive match.

Panther has had a scan on the ankle ligament damage that he suffered in the 2-1 victory over Canvey Island and will receive the results this week.

But McEwan has thrown down the gauntlet to City's squad members to do better in his absence, saying: "We were a shadow of the team that normally plays. We had key, influential players out of our team but the kids that have come in have got to do better and the only way they get experience is playing games and if you make mistakes you learn from them.

"We brought players in to give them a chance. It's up to them. If they want to keep their places they have to do better.

"Manny is a key player and that's why I brought him to the club but, when he's injured, it gives the kids like Yalcin and Bryan Stewart an opportunity."

McEwan also expressed his disappointment at referee Stephen Cummings' decision to only brandish yellow cards to home defenders Leam Richardson and Danny Ventre after they denied Bishop and Donaldson clear scoring opportunities.

He said: "The handball (by Richardson) in the first minute was a sending-off. I said that straight away because Andy Bishop was clear through with only the 'keeper to beat.

"It was unfair and there were a number of controversial decisions that got the crowd going. Clayton was away as well but some weeks decisions go for you and some weeks they go against you."

Updated: 09:44 Monday, October 31, 2005