STEPHEN Brackstone is hoping that City boss Chris Brass will be reaching for the aspirins this week.

The 21-year-old midfielder does not want wish his manager any ill health but believes he might have given him a "selection headache" ahead of this weekend's trip to Leyton Orient.

Brackstone started his first league game of the season on Saturday during the 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers and will now wait and see whether he has done enough to keep his place in London.

The former Middlesbrough trainee said: "It's up to the gaffer whether I stay in the side but I would like to think I have given him a selection headache. I want to get a few more matches under my belt now. That's what I'm really hoping for during the rest of the season."

Brackstone replaced the suspended Richard Cooper in Saturday's starting line-up but City's utility man is available again after serving his one-match ban.

The experienced Mitch Ward could also be fit after missing the Doncaster game with a hamstring problem and, with Christian Fox on the comeback trail, Brackstone realises competition for places in the middle of the park is intensifying all the time.

He said: "We've got quite a few players in midfield and in the squad now. It's definitely going to be a challenge trying to get back in the team for all the lads."

Brackstone has had to stay patient, waiting until City's 18th league game for his first division three start of the season.

But, having started 29 league matches since signing for the Bootham Crescent in February 2002, he is no stranger to first-team football and admits he has been frustrated by his lack of opportunities this term.

He said: "The lads have done fairly well and I have had to wait for my chance to play. With a bit of luck, things can go on from here and I can get that breakthrough.

"I really enjoyed last season, getting as many games as I did, and this season, like any player, I have found it frustrating having to watch.

"You just have to get on with your training, try and get through reserve games and get as much out of them as you can with the rest of the lads. Then you are hoping that when Saturday comes you can play some part."

Saturday's match ended a run of seven without a win for City with Brackstone scoring in the last success - a 2-0 defeat of Cambridge on October 4 - after he came on as a substitute.

The defeat of Doncaster moved City to within a point of Lincoln City, who currently occupy the final play-off spot, and Brackstone said afterwards: "It was a big result for us. Those three points have just kept us in there nicely and obviously now the lads are full of confidence.

"Hopefully we can build on that and carry it into the Orient game. I was very pleased with my own performance against Doncaster but the main thing is the team turned in a good display and got a good result to go with it.

"Just being in the first team again was the most pleasing thing and I really enjoyed the full 90 minutes and hope there's a few more to come."

Updated: 11:06 Tuesday, November 18, 2003