YORK City boss Steve Watson has explained his team selection on Sunday - and lamented that "nothing worked".

The Minstermen scarcely registered a shot on target as fellow National League North outfit Altrincham knocked them out of the FA Cup first round with a 1-0 win at Bootham Crescent.

Striker Jordan Burrow was left out of the starting 11 against a team at the same level or higher than City for only the second time this season, with Dan Maguire up front alongside Alex Kempster. Behind them in midfield was Kieran Green, who was the sole personnel change from the Kidderminster Harriers draw the previous weekend.

The idea to start with Maguire over Burrow, he said, was because he felt the latter's physical presence encouraged York to go route one too often against Kidderminster.

"Nothing worked today," Watson said. "When we put Jordan on up front with Kempster, it didn't work. When we put Jordan on up front with Maguire, it didn't really work.

"Standards in training are a huge thing for me and Kieran Green has been unbelievable all week.

"We wanted to have a chance to put the two lads up front together.

"They have both been brilliant when they've been up top with Jordan but that, alongside everything else we tried today, didn't seem to work."

Andy Bond had possibly York's best chance to get on the scoresheet from the penalty spot with the sides still 0-0 after Maguire was taken down by Tony Thompson. The keeper made amends by saving Bond's effort.

Burrow - whose only other absence from the team was injury-enforced against Southport - is ironically York's designated spot-kick taker. He was brought on just before the hour and shared the pitch for 18 minutes with Maguire, who went off in some discomfort following a clash in the area.

It was decided before kick off that penalty-taking responsibilities were either to fall to Sean Newton - who cracked the crossbar with a superb free kick - or Bond.

"Both experienced players," Watson said. "Both lads who can put a penalty where they want when they set their mind to it.

"Dan was going to come off anyway, it just so happened it coincided with the substitution," he added. "I think it was a knee in the bottom of his spine. Anyone who's had one in the coccyx knows how painful that can be.

"He'll be sore for a few days."