YORK City have been hit by the news defensive linchpin Gary Hobson could be out for the rest of the season.

Hobson, who only returned to first team action as a second-half substitute against Kidderminster on October 23, hobbled off in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat against Swansea City.

City, who face a difficult trip to Mansfield tonight, did not find out the full extent of the injury until yesterday, leaving them now with a defensive crisis.

"Gary won't be fit for tonight - and we don't how long he is going to be out," said boss Terry Dolan. "He has done his medial knee ligament.

"With Hobson out, John Fielding still injured and Mark Maley suspended, centre backs-wise we've only got Chris Smith and Matt Hocking."

And in a further blow to the Minstermen midfield dynamo Lee Bullock also faces a spell on the sidelines with a groin injury.

"Lee Bullock's got a groin strain, but we only realised how serious that was yesterday," said Dolan, who is down to the bare bones.

"All 18 who are fit and available form the squad now, so we have now got to think about the team.

"The formation will be determined by the side that is picked."

The injury situation has forced Dolan to bring Mike Basham and Alex Mathie back into the squad ahead of schedule.

"They resumed training with everybody else this week, but they've had two or three weeks training with Jeff Miller, so from a fitness point of view there is no problem, it is a lack of match practice that will be a problem," he added.

"We're hoping they would have started their comebacks in the Reserves, but circumstances have dictated that they will be in the squad for tonight, whether there are going to be on the bench - as they won't start - will depend on everyone else first."

Dolan, who has decided to cancel today's scheduled training session due to the injury situation, will now delay naming his team until the last possible moment.

And with the changes enforced on his selection, Dolan is in little doubt his charges will face a rough ride against The Stags.

"We've got to try and get some consistency and we will try and get some tonight at Mansfield," he said. "It is not the easiest of places to travel to and the way they are playing at the moment means it is going to be a very difficult game for us.

"But we went there last season when they were on a good run and although they had had a little bit of a wobble, they were still well up the table, while we were down near the bottom, but we still won."

Former Scarborough striker Chris Greenacre has been Mansfield's star turn this season and his goal-scoring exploits have caught the eye of Dolan - as well those of a number of higher league managers.

"We are going to keep our eyes on him very closely," added Dolan. "They are a very hard-working team and have got quiet a lot of pace about them, but Greenacre is the obvious one to watch."

Updated: 08:30 Friday, November 23, 2001