York City boss Chris Brass is set to field his first-choice back six for the first time in ten matches in tonight's crucial relegation battle at Cambridge United.

Brass is poised to recall goalkeeper Mark Ovendale and defenders Darren Edmondson and Chris Smith with Chris Porter, Stuart Wise and Sean Davies all likely to make way as the Minstermen manager opts for experience at the Abbey Stadium.

The trio are likely to play alongside Brass, Richard Hope and David Merris as Brass reverts to the personnel he last employed in a 5-3-2 formation at Hull on February 7.

A mixture of suspension, injury and loss of form has deprived Brass of the services of his favoured back six over the last two months but he is ready to pin his faith in the defensive group during the vital last seven games of the season.

He said: "We will be going for experience as much as anything, Mark Ovendale, Darren Edmondson and Chris Smith are all in contention and we are looking to get the consistency that we had at the start of the season.

"I want to stop chopping and changing and hopefully the team we have for the last seven games will help us get out of it. I know these players can do it and maybe now they need to prove to themselves they can.

"In certain games during our run without a win, such as those with Huddersfield and Hull, we were unfortunate and we have got the same players back who started those games. That's pleasing because in those games we looked a match for anybody."

Brass will pit his wits against Cameroon's 1990 World Cup manager Claude Le Roy at the Abbey Stadium and the City boss has called on his players to match the famous Indomitable Lions' spirit that saw the African team take England all the way in a thrilling quarter-final, saying: "He certainly did well for Cameroon and created a team with a lot of enthusiasm. We have got to show that same desire.

"The boys know they have let themselves down. Now they have got to restore pride.

"I am sure that will come out tonight and at home on Tuesday and prove to the fans they are people who genuinely care about this football club."

Brass is also hoping to emulate Macclesfield's achievement at Bootham Crescent last week by beating a team they trail by just three points in Division Three.

He said: "It's the reverse situation of what we had on Sunday and the pressure will be on them. They have got to get a result in front of their crowd and there will be a fear factor.

"They won't want to make mistakes and, hopefully, we can apply ourselves in the same manner as Macclesfield did at our place and give ourselves a realistic chance of clawing them back."

Liam George will travel as a substitute to Cambridge after completing 60 minutes in Wednesday night's 2-2 reserve draw at Scunthorpe and Brass' ranks will also be boosted next week by the return of on-loan midfielder Jonjo Dickman from Sunderland.

"Liam's someone who can change the game and I am sure he will have some part to play," Brass said. "We might only get 15 or 20 minutes out of him but we know we will have fresh, willing legs to come off the bench when we need them.

"Jonjo's also coming back after the Easter period which is pleasing because he showed he is capable of creating and working hard during the draw at Oxford."

Teenage striker Lev Yalcin will not play a part in tonight's match and, as a precautionary measure, is on crutches after a heavy challenge at Scunthorpe.

Former on-loan midfielder Justin Walker is also unlikely to figure for Cambridge because of a knee injury and Brass said: "That would be a bonus because Justin's a quality player and somebody we would like to bring back in the summer."

Brass also welcomed the vote of confidence he and assistant Lee Nogan were given by finance director Terry Doyle this week and added he had no intention of walking away from the challenge.

He said: "It might be the dreaded vote of confidence but they are being honest. They know what we have had to work with.

"I have had the opportunity to walk away from this football club before and it certainly has never even crossed my mind."

Squads:

York City:

Probable: Ovendale, Edmondson, Smith, Brass, Hope, Merris, Dunning, Cooper, Bell, Nogan, Newby. Subs from: Porter, George, Wise, Coad, Law, Davies, Offiong.

Cambridge:

Probable: Marshall, Goodhind, Duncan, Tann, Murray, Angus, Nicholls, Gutteridge, Tudor, Easter, Revell. Subs: Brennan, Bimson, Robinson, Bridges, Fleming.

- In eight previous League visits to the Abbey Stadium, City have won twice and drawn four times.

- Their biggest win at this venue was 4-0 in 1984/85 when the scorers were Dale Banton (2), John MacPhail and Ricky Sbragia.

- City's other success was in 1993/94 when Paul Barnes and Steve Tutill netted in a 2-0 victory.

- In the corresponding game last term City went down 3-0. The line-up on September 21, 2002 was: Fettis, Edmondson, Smith, Brass, Hobson, Cowan (Potter), Brackstone, Bullock, Duffield, Nogan, Parkin (Wilding).

- Players who have represented both sides include: Rowland Horrey, Dennis Walker, Michael Cook, Mick Heathcote, Colin Alcide and Tom Cowan.

Statistics by David Batters

Updated: 10:34 Friday, April 09, 2004