York City's senior service player curse has struck again as the Minstermen seek to recover from a jarring week.

FA Cup exile will leave City cooling their heels for a fortnight since the sacking of player-manager Chris Brass until this Saturday's trip to Woking and a resumption of Conference campaign.

Caretaker boss Viv Busby said it was vital to get the club's experienced pack back on the park after the club had had to rely overmuch on their promising pack of youngsters in the highly-pressurised scrap to scramble clear of the lower reaches of the table.

But now the hoodoo that has blighted City all season has hit again. Midfield enforcer Gary Pearson - himself latterly deployed into a makeshift central defensive role - is battling to recover from a shoulder injury.

The ex-Darlington dreadnought returned against Forest Green Rovers but did not train for much of last week after aggravating the injury. He has been tentatively pencilled in for tonight's City reserves' clash at home to Huddersfield Town (7pm). But if he does not make it, or does not get sufficient action under his belt, then Busby will be loath to field him against Woking at the Kingfield Stadium in five days' time in what will be the first Conference mission under City's new regime.

And in a further setback to Busby's avowed aim to make the club's seniors 'stand up and be counted' left-back Shaun Smith could be ruled out of a shock return to action.

Smith ricked his back in training on Friday with the spasm since spreading to his calf.

Said Busby: "Pearson needs to have some sort of a run-out tonight. If he doesn't then he will not have had any action for two weeks by the time the Woking match comes along and we cannot afford to put him in if his match fitness is below par.

"The youngsters have done well in what has been a high-pressure situation for them, but we need experience out on the pitch."

Ironically, another young-blood may get the call to City's defence against the Cards on Saturday. Former City junior Lee Grant, who has returned to Bootham Crescent on a month-long loan from Premiership Aston Villa, could earn his first-team spurs if he continues to impress in tonight's reserve outing.

"If he does well again like he did last week then he would definitely be in contention for the Woking game," said Busby.

Meanwhile, City will be without a game on Saturday, December 4 unless the club decide to bring a fixture forward.

The Minstermen were due to travel to Exeter City during the first weekend in December but the Devon club will now be in FA Cup second round action against Doncaster having beaten Grimsby 1-0 on Saturday.

One option could be to re-arrange the Bootham Crescent derby clash against Halifax Town, currently scheduled for Tuesday, December 7.

Woking will be without defender Jon Boardman for Saturday's home clash against the Minstermen after he was sent off in the 2-0 FA Cup defeat at Notts County.

Adam Arthur scored City's juniors goal in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe United.

York City reserves: Porter, Law, Anderson, Grant, Davies, Donovan, Coad, Pearson or Ashcroft, Stewart, Arthur, Yalcin. Subs to be named.

Updated: 14:52 Monday, November 15, 2004