York City boss Chris Brass has selection dilemmas aplenty ahead of the Minstermen's first trip to Yeovil Town.

City had hoped to be heading to Huish Park with a glut of returning faces, most notably Jon Parkin and Darren Edmondson, as they look to avoid an unwanted hat-trick of consecutive defeats.

However, last season's top scorer Parkin has failed to shake off the thigh strain that ruled him out of last Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Rochdale.

City too are sweating on the fitness of skipper Edmondson, who also missed last Saturday's home defeat with a calf problem.

The full-back has a chance of making the trip to Somerset but is rated only 50/50.

The likes of Chris Smith, Christian Fox and Levent Yalcin are all making good progress from lengthy injuries but won't be risked.

Adding to the problems for Brass is the fact midfielder Darren Dunning, arguably one of City's most consistent performers this season, is suspended following his red-card against Lincoln last month.

It leaves Brass having to make at least one change to the starting line-up with Richard Cooper, Leigh Wood and Stephen Brackstone battling it out to fill the void left by Dunning's one-match ban.

After two successive defeats, Brass may also be tempted to make other changes to his starting line-up, although the only definite new face to add to the squad is Graeme Law.

Striker Aron Wilford impressed with his goalscoring substitute appearance against Rochdale last week and must be putting pressure on front duo Liam George and Lee Nogan.

However, Brass revealed Wilford picked up a slight knock playing for the reserves in midweek. Although the injury is not expected to rule the former Scarborough player out of the trip to Yeovil it may persuade Brass to start with Wilford on the bench.

Despite the missing faces and recent results, Brass is preferring to look to the positives and insists City will head to Yeovil looking to bag all three points.

"Aron did well last Saturday. He took his goal well and that's all you can ask," enthused the City chief.

"Because of that, he is knocking on the door and because of that I have one or two welcome selection problems.

"Darren Dunning has had a tremendous start and he has applied himself in the right way since day one when he arrived at York City.

"It is unfortunate that we have to lose him but it gives someone else an opportunity and they have to take it.

"If someone is keeping Darren out of the side then they must be performing well."

City's confidence may have taken a knock in the wake of two defeats on the bounce, but Brass is looking for his experienced players to thrive under the pressure.

"It is up to the experienced players to turn things around and get us back on track," he said.

"There is experience among the younger players like Lee Bullock but myself, Lee (Nogan) and Mitch (Ward), the older ones, have perhaps been here before.

"Obviously, we want to keep on playing football but sometimes you have to grind a result out and you need that ruthlessness to succeed.

"So far, we haven't gone away and been happy to sit back and take a point. It will be no different on Saturday. We will be going there to get the right result."

York City's youth team head to Halifax Town tomorrow in search of their first win in the Youth Alliance North East Conference, kick-off 11am. The City youngsters have drawn two and lost two games so far.

Fact file:

York City: (possible) Ovendale, Downes, Wise, Brass, Hope, Hope, Merris, Ward, Brackstone, Bullock, Nogan, George. Subs from: Porter, Cooper, Wood, Law.

Yeovil Town (probable): Weale, Lockwood, O'Brian, Pluck, Bull, Williams, Johnson, Way, Crittenden, Jackson, Stansfield. Subs from: Collins, Gosling, Edwards, Terry, Rodrigues.

Referee: Trevor Kettle (Berkshire)

Kick off: 3pm

- Yeovil will become the 101st club that City have met in the Football League

- This is the first meeting between the sides in any competition.

- Former City player Colin Addison managed the Somerset club in 2000-01

Updated: 11:17 Friday, September 12, 2003