YORK City player-boss Chris Brass will take a look at both trialist goalkeeper Craig Mawson and Paul Crichton during tonight's friendly with Doncaster Rovers at Bootham Crescent (7.45pm).

Each player is expected to be given a half in which to impress as Brass looks to increase the competition for Chris Porter for that position.

Former Darlington stopper Porter will not play in the match and Brass said: "I want to look at the other two because I already know what Chris is capable of doing."

Mawson left Morecambe in the summer after gaining England semi-professional honours at the seaside town.

The much-travelled Crichton, 35, is a former Burnley team-mate of Brass and is also being considered for a player-coach role.

City supporters will also get a first sight of summer signings Steve Davis, Kevin Donovan, Paul Robinson, Paul Groves and Gary Pearson tonight.

Striker Andy Bishop and centre-back Chris Clarke, who have both been offered Bootham Crescent contracts, are also both in the squad, as well as trialists Paul Brayson, Richard Teesdale, Jonathan Rowan and Tom Raw.

Centre-back Teesdale has just been released by Hereford while striker Rowan, 22, is a free agent after scoring eight goals in 34 starts for Grimsby. Raw was at North Yorkshire neighbours Scarborough last season.

City have named a 21-man squad for the match and Brass expects to make multiple substitutions after the recent FIFA directive limiting replacements to six was abolished.

Brass said: "The game will just be a case of acquiring fitness as much as anything and, hopefully, making sure everybody comes through it. We won't be risking things and I'm glad the substitutions ruling has been relaxed because everybody will be rusty.

"It will also give people an opportunity to see a few of the new boys, as well as some trialists. Hopefully, they will all show what they can do and there might be one or two more trialists added before tonight. Doncaster will be treating the game in the same manner."

The game will be the first time the two sides have met since Doncaster confirmed the end of 75 years of League football in York with an emphatic 3-1 victory at Belle Vue in April.

But Brass bears no grudges and points out that, ironically, the result has brought the traditional rivals closer.

The two teams used to be fierce rivals in the promotion-chasing 1984 era of Keith Walwyn, John Byrne and the Snodin brothers and police have classified tonight's game as a Category 'B' match.

There were isolated incidents at last season's Bootham Crescent clash, which City won 1-0, but Brass said: "The two clubs have developed quite a good understanding. I certainly have with Dave Penney and (assistant manager) Mickey Walker.

"I've spoken to Dave since last season and he's given me a lot of advice about what to expect in the Conference. Doncaster have helped us out with the game because it will be a good test and played in the right manner."

City squad: Craig Mawson, Paul Crichton, Graeme Law, Steve Davis, Richard Teesdale, Chris Clarke, Gary Pearson, Sean Davies, Dave Merris, Kevin Dononvan, Adam Arthur, Paul Groves, Darren Dunning, Matthew Coad, Paul Brason, Andy Bishop, Paul Robinson, Jonathan Rowan, Tom Raw, Chris Brass, Lee Nogan.

Updated: 10:39 Friday, July 16, 2004