York City chief Terry Dolan will enjoy the rare luxury of naming an unchanged side for tonight's visit of Carlisle United to Bootham Crescent.

Despite Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Blackpool extending City's losing streak to six, Dolan will stick by the players who came close to earning the Minstermen's first point of 2001.

It is rare for Dolan to announce his starting line-up before the game, but he insisted: "The players have done enough in the last two games to warrant an unchanged team, although there weren't many changes we could make anyway in terms of players coming back from injury."

Dolan admitted he was looking forward to waving goodbye to a miserable January with a badly needed win.

"It is a big game now with Carlisle and Exeter winning on Saturday all of a sudden there is a group of teams fairly close.

"Some teams have games in hand and as far as Carlisle and ourselves are concerned this is our game in hand on those around us and we have got to capitalise.

"Let's hope we can get our first win of the year. We have had a bad January so far. Let's hope we can finish January with a bang.

"We have improved our performances in the last couple of games but we need that positive result."

Dolan admitted the fans, who have been calling for his head after recent matches, have a vital role to play.

"The supporters have a right to say whatever they want and nobody is saying they should be cheering on the team because they have been playing well.

"The team haven't been playing well but it does help if the supporters get behind the team and once they do that it is up to the players to show what they are capable of doing.

"We just need to get that good start then I am sure the supporters will get behind the team."

City reserves' Avon Insurance League Cup tie at Halifax Town yesterday was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Updated: 11:46 Tuesday, January 30, 2001