PLAYER-CHIEF Chris Brass is demanding York City banish the losing blues in the coming weeks to maintain their place in the promotion pack.

Since beginning their season with a bang and four successive wins, the Minstermen have seen their form and fortune dip, rise and dip again.

A stuttering, stop-start City have drawn two, won two and lost three of their last seven games, including Tuesday night's disappointing LDV Vans Trophy exit at the hands of Halifax Town.

Brass has been demanding greater consistency from his troops for some time and is hoping victory over Boston United on Saturday will re-ignite his Minstermen.

He admitted unless City start putting a run of results together soon they could soon be cut adrift from their fellow play-off hopefuls.

"We gave those who played on Tuesday the day off yesterday to give them time to reflect on a few things," said Brass.

"There will be no major inquest today. I did all my talking in the dressing-room after the game.

"It will be straight down to business, preparing for the Boston game and we need to get a result.

"I am just hoping we can start to put an unbeaten run together so we can stop looking over our shoulders.

"We just seem to be playing catch-up at the moment. We are still in the pack but we are making it difficult for ourselves because every time we get a decent result we don't follow it up."

Skipper Darren Edmondson has continued on the comeback trail this week after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a calf strain.

The wing-back has trained all week and could gatecrash the squad for Saturday's visit of the Pilgrims.

Edmondson's return would mean Brass having virtually a fully-fit squad from which to pick from. Only midfielder Christian Fox is still in the treatment room.

Boston, despite a poor start to the season, should arrive at the Crescent in confident mood.

The Pilgrims, bossed by ex-City chief Neil Thompson, booked their place in round two of the LDV Vans Trophy with a 2-1 win over Second Division Swindon Town last night.

That victory followed a 3-1 win over Cheltenham last Saturday.

The two wins have coincided with the arrival of former City junior Chris Hogg. The England youth international has joined Boston on loan from Ipswich.

Updated: 11:12 Thursday, October 16, 2003