YORK City avoided a fixture headache in the run up to Christmas after today's FA Cup second round tie with Reading was given the green-light.

Referee Peter Walton declared the Bootham Crescent surface playable after a 9am pitch inspection.

A downpour on Thursday had put the tie in considerable doubt but a lack of rain and strong winds over the last 24 hours had seen the surface drain considerably by this morning..

If it had been postponed, the tie had been rearranged for Tuesday, December 19, at Bootham Crescent.

A wash out would have left City facing a punishing schedule of four games in 10 days and a total of seven matches between December 13 and New Year's Day.

This Wednesday, City will take on Darlington at Bootham Crescent in their rearranged LDV Vans Trophy first round tie.

On Friday they will begin their journey South for Saturday's encounter with the Pilgrims and will not arrive back in York until the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Minstermen would have had little chance to recuperate before Reading finally arrived at Bootham Crescent on the Tuesday followed by Blackpool on Friday, December 22, in a League game that has been brought forward 24 hours.

At least City will now be able to recover fully from their long-haul to Plymouth before facing Steve McMahon's Blackpool.

But City will be back on the road on Boxing Day to face Macclesfield and four days later will be climbing back aboard the team coach for another long journey to take on Cheltenham.

On the following Monday, New Year's Day, City manager Terry Dolan will have to lift his troops yet again for the visit of championship chasing Chesterfield.

City have at least managed to postpone the reserve game with Walsall set for this Wednesday but the Avon Insurance League Cup tie at Halifax Town on December 20 is currently still scheduled to go ahead.