Paul Sturrock has warned his Town side "the gloves are off", slamming Saturday's Vale Park debacle as the worst display in his County Ground tenure.

The Town boss struggled to explain the 2-1 defeat at lowly Port Vale but insisted many more performances like that and they would soon be fighting against relegation.

Lee Peacock's 19th-minute equaliser briefly gave the visitors hope in the Potteries, after Luke Rodgers had scored the opener from the penalty spot, but Danny Whitaker's 26th-minute winner was the least the hosts deserved.

Sturrock revealed afterwards defender Sam Colllins would be returning to Hull, after ending his month's loan spell, but admitted Saturday's display had given him plenty to think about.

He said: "It was very disappointing. We have got a travelling fan base who have come here on a very very mucky day and in the end there was only one team who went out there to win the football game.

"That was probably the poorest indidvidually and collectively we have played since I have been here. Our total mental approach to the game was wrong from the first minute.

"We can tell, tell, tell and tell but at the end of the day they have to take things in. The horse has bolted by the time they have lifted their game."