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 and 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."

City will be without a game on Saturday, December 4, as Conference opponents Exter City will be in FA Cup action.

Updated: 10:03 Monday, November 15, 2004