TOUGH taskmaster Billy McEwan is calling on his York City side to raise standards at both ends of the pitch ahead of Saturday's mouth-watering home match against second-placed Dagenham and Redbridge.

McEwan feels there is still room for improvement from his players despite Saturday's 2-1 victory at top-five rivals Weymouth with the Minstermen boss once more stressing the need to display a more ruthless streak in front of goal.

David McGurk, Steve Bowey and Craig Farrell all squandered easy chances to extend the margin of victory at the Wessex Stadium.

Goals from Emmanuel Panther and Jason Goodliffe did eventually prove sufficient but City have now failed to beat a side by more than one goal in each of their 11 victories this season.

McEwan also criticised his team's defending for Weymouth's second-half equaliser and will be hoping to eliminate any slackness at the back before Saturday.

He said: "We have got to kill teams off because it's always uncomfortable at 1-0 and Saturday was probably the most chances we have created and not put away in a game this season. I thought we might live to regret it and we gave them an equaliser because our defending was not the best.

"We're still not right at the back and have got some work to do there but we showed character and determination to come back and get a quality winning goal. It was a great delivery in from Martyn Woolford's set piece and Jason Goodliffe thoroughly deserved his goal because he played well."

McEwan also believes that table-topping Oxford's first defeat of the season against Gravesend and Northfleet should offer the Conference chasing pack some encouragement.

He said: "I think they were missing their top scorer Robert Duffy and that's what can happen when key players are out at this level. They were due to be beaten though and Gravesend are not bad at home.

"I'm sure Jim Smith will be disappointed to lose the unbeaten record but it gives other teams a glimmer of hope, knowing they are not invincible."

City skipper Panther, meanwhile, feels the club are benefiting from the strong squad currently assembled at KitKat Crescent.

He said: "I think these are exciting times for York City fans. People like Mark Convery, James Dudgeon and Danny Parslow were not even in the 16 for the Weymouth game and Lewis McMahon was on the bench.

"There's so much competition and you know that one bad game might mean that you are out of the team and that a quality player will come in so that keeps the boys going. But even the boys not in the side are helping to create a great team spirit and that's all credit to the manager."