STUART McCall refused to use City’s lengthy injury list for their dismal 3-0 loss at Salford.

Richie Wellens marked his first league home game in charge of the Ammies with a confident win – all the goals coming by half-time.

City were missing Callum Cooke, Billy Clarke and Reece Staunton to add to the absent Lee Novak, Bryce Hosannah and Kurtis Guthrie.

But McCall said: “We can’t just moan that we’ve got people missing. Those lads coming in have got to make sure they play well for the next couple of games so the manager can’t leave them out.

“I need people to stand up and say they want to be part of this. I still expect better than that.

“The first goal was after seven minutes and once they go ahead, they’ve got experienced players to dictate.

“But as I said to the lads I don’t want to go away and play 5-4-1 and sit in.

“I want us to make opportunities and at times we got corners and free-kicks in there and Austin (Samuels) had a chance when he probably should have scored to make it 2-1.

“But we’re clutching at straws. We were beaten by the better side and just weren’t good enough.”

Salford boss Wellens said: “The only negative for us is that we could have had six or seven.”