ASSISTANT manager Neil Howarth believes boss Mark Yates will be "big enough and man enough to admit it" if he has been guilty of any wrong-doing.

Yates left the Aggborough field in controversial circumstances after appearing to become embroiled in an alleged altercation with Exeter's Lee Elam.

Howarth is adamant that he did not see the incident which is reported to have occurred at the final whistle of today's 2-0 home defeat to Exeter.

"I can tell you very little to be honest and I'm not just saying this playing the blind man," said Howarth, who escorted his manager off the pitch at the end.

"I've heard little things but I've not seen anything happen myself and I think it would be wrong of me to comment."

Asked if Yates had taken his frustrations out on one of the Exeter players, Howarth replied: "If he has he's very disappointed and very frustrated with the performance and the result.

"I'm sure if he's done something that he shouldn't have done then he'll come out and admit it."

Howarth insisted that the post-match post mortem in the dressing room concerned what happened during the 90 minutes rather than the controversial scenes at the final whistle.

"We've just been talking about nothing else but the performance and the result since we've been in.

"I've not had chance to speak to the manager about anything that may or may not have happened.

"But like I say he's big enough and man enough to admit to something if he's done something."