DARREN Edmondson has hailed team-mate Richard Cooper as a "brilliant" replacement during the York City captain's two months on the sidelines.

Former Nottingham Forest trainee Cooper, deputised for Edmondson at right wing-back while the City captain recovered from a torn calf muscle.

Player-boss Chris Brass initially used Steve Downes in Edmondson's position but, when he suffered a knee problem three games later, Cooper was asked to fill the position.

Edmondson, who was injured in the 3-0 defeat at Lincoln on August 30, was recalled to the Minstermen's starting line-up against Scunthorpe on Saturday with Cooper dropping to the bench after eight successive appearances.

City's captain is now desperate to stay in the team until the end of the season but was full of praise for 24-year-old Cooper, saying: "I think Coops has done a brilliant job over the last month.

"It's probably not his best position and, if you asked him where he would prefer to play, he would probably say right-back but he's a honest and fit lad. He's a great professional who knows, just as I do, that you can always improve your game."

Edmondson, 31, felt a touch of stiffness in his calf after coming through 90 minutes at Glanford Park but has been training this week and is expected to keep his place at Cheltenham on Saturday.

His comeback game saw him face former Premiership star Peter Beagrie - perhaps not the first name you want to see on the teamsheet as you prepare for your first match in two months - but the evergreen winger was well shackled by his City marker.

"He's a great player and that's why he's carried on for so many years," Edmondson said. "He has a bag of tricks and he looks after himself.

"I knew it would be a good battle and test and I was just happy they did not create anything from him and I got 90 minutes under my belt.

"I was quite surprised to be put back in so early after just an hour in the reserves but I was delighted to be back and a point was a good result in the end. It's always difficult when a man gets sent off.

"I thought if we had 11 v 11 we would have won because they have not been playing too well and they did look shaky at the back.

"But keeping a clean sheet especially on our travels, where we have not done our best, was a bonus."

When Edmondson was forced out of action side City were lying in second position after five League games, having dropped their first points of the season at Sincil Bank.

Results have dipped since, as has City's league position (now down to tenth), but an unbeaten run of three games, albeit all draws, could see confidence, as well as Edmondson, restored to the side.

"After our start, that put pressure on us where there wasn't any before," City's skipper admitted. "We have dropped off over the last month and, even though we are still in the top half, we want to be higher.

"We have got to knuckle down and work as hard as we did for the first six games when results came on the basis that we closed teams down quickly as a unit and took chances when they came."

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, October 29, 2003