'SUPER' Alan Fettis has missed out on an international call-up because of tomorrow's crucial game at Halifax Town.

Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy had earmarked Fettis for a place on the bench for Wednesday's friendly against Poland in Cyprus.

Manchester United's goalkeeper Roy Carroll pulled out of the Irish squad last night after sustaining a back injury in the Red Devils' 2-0 win at Charlton.

Carroll was to have been on the bench and Fettis was top of McIlroy's list as his replacement.

"I had thought about bringing in Alan Fettis but York have a six-pointer on Tuesday and I thought it was best to leave him," said McIlroy, who was hoping to draft in Oldham's David Miskelly instead.

Fulham's Maik Taylor is expected to start the match

Fettis marked his century of City games with two brilliant saves against Southend - and a sandwich!

The Evening Press caught up with him in the dressing room after the game to tell him of his achievement - and with no champagne around to mark the occasion Fettis had to make do with three points and a tuna mayonnaise sandwich.

"I didn't realise it was today, I thought someway through March would be my 100th League game for York City," he said. "I didn't know this was my 100th game in total, but that is good, especially to win.

"In the second half, I honestly don't know whether we deserved to win it, but we will take it, we will take anything.

"They hit the crossbar, had more of the play and pressure, but we defended well and created a couple of chances.

"Michael Proctor should have scored in the first half and that would have eased us a bit, but that is the way it goes and luckily enough the big man (Jon Parkin) pops up for a dream debut."

And in true 'Super Al' style, Fettis picked up the man-of-the-match ranking courtesy of some vital saves - including a real hum-dinger in injury time - to guarantee the Bootham Crescent boys a precious win.

"We just dug it out, we really needed that ahead of Halifax," he said, before adding about his save in injury time. "I just saw him about to strike it so I just threw myself at it and just managed to get a block - it hit me in the chest - and we managed to scramble it away."

The saves were all the more satisfying for Fettis having conceded five goals at Rochdale on Tuesday night.

"Every game we just want to keep a clean sheet and this year I haven't had that many, so it sort of gets you down a bit because goals are going in no matter how you are working in training," he added. "You start asking questions of yourself and blaming yourself."

There was no need for blame on Saturday, though.

Halifax have snapped up Blackburn Rovers reserve striker Marc Richards on loan and the former England youth international will make his debut against York tomorrow night.

City juniors lost 2-1 at Scunthorpe in the Football League Youth Alliance when they conceded two penalties in the last five minutes. Marc Salvati had given City the lead.

Updated: 11:58 Monday, February 11, 2002