CRIS Smith will be restored to the starting line-up against Boston on Saturday after recovering from a hip injury.

The 22-year-old defender missed Tuesday night's 4-1 home defeat against Lincoln but will replace teenager Sean Davies in the back three.

Davies was City's man of the match against the Imps and player-manager Chris Brass was keen to stress that the Middlesbrough-born youngster will stay in the squad.

The decision is purely for tactical reasons with Smith's absence upsetting the balance of the team with Brass playing on the right and Hope moving from the left into the centre of a back three against Lincoln.

Brass said: "Chris Smith will come back in. I think we lost our shape a bit because we had to reshuffle against Lincoln.

"We have built from the back this season and had a solid foundation with myself, Chris Smith and Richard Hope. I'm hoping we can steady the ship and, if we do it correctly, then it brings momentum to the rest of the team.

"Sean Davies will definitely stay in the squad. He came out of the game with a great deal of credit and deserves his place in the squad."

Brass also insisted that the sprit of the players is fine despite a run of one point from a possible 18 and praised supporters for their understanding despite three successive home defeats.

He said: "The spirit is fine. There will be times in a season when the game and result do not go your way and you get a bit shell-shocked at the time but you have got to get on with it.

"I think the crowd did quite well on Tuesday night. They know what we have been through and what we need to go through to get to the other side of this journey.

"You have moments like these but you have to go through troubled times to get through to the other side and I know the players can pass this test of character. Boston are just below us in mid-table and we are looking to test ourselves against them.

"The players need to keep believing in themselves. I do and I think we have the nucleus of a great side not just a good side."

Brass added that Lee Bullock will also be available for tomorrow's match despite Lennie Lawrence's midweek scouting mission but is looking for an improved display from the 22-year-old midfielder, saying: "Lee Bullock is, first and foremost, a York City player. It's as simple as that and if the interest in him waned a little then that would be fantastic for me because I am reluctant to lose him.

"At the same time, he has to keep up a level of performance in order to keep his place. He was a little off the boil by his own admission and nobody's guaranteed a place."

Liam George will not figure in tomorrow's squad after experiencing more trouble with shin splints this week and he may now require an operation to solve the problem after visiting a surgeon yesterday.

Reserve striker Aron Wilford could also have played his last game for City after joining Harrogate Town on loan.

Brass is looking to clear a place on his wage bill for a new front man and said: "Aron's gone to Harrogate on loan and we need to re-jig things to get the finances to bring in a striker so it's an avenue we have had to go down. But while a chapter closes at York City, it's up to him to progress in his career.

"I think he will also attract interest from other non-league clubs and we will have to address that if it happens."

Squads:

York City: Possible: Ovendale, Smith, Brass, Hope, Edmondson, Walker, Bullock, Dunning, Merris, Nogan, Yalcin. Subs: (from): Porter, Ward, Parkin, Cooper, Fox, Davies.

Boston United: Probable: Bastock, Balmer, Beevors, Ellender, Thompson, Greaves, Bennett, Rusk, Angel, Jones, Boyd. Subs: Crousden, Duffield, Douglas, Hogg, Chapman.

Updated: 10:41 Friday, February 20, 2004