York City's broken leg victim Peter Duffield could be back on the run before the New Year.

Just nine weeks after suffering an horrific double fracture of his right leg, the striker has now done away with his crutches and cast and is making good progress along the road to a full recovery.

"I can walk, swim, drive the car, ride a bike and do weights - the only thing I can't do at the moment is run," he explained.

"Once I can do that I will feel a lot more confident."

Another check-up x-ray earlier this week revealed no complications and if another scan in four weeks time gives the all-clear, Duffield is optimistic he will soon be able to start jogging again.

However, while privately the former Darlington hitman had hoped to be playing again by the end of the season he is now refusing to set himself a comeback date.

"Everything is progressing well but it is a slow process," he explained. "If you saw me walking at the moment you would probably think there isn't too much wrong with me.

"I've got a bit of a limp but it's not a big one and I'm fortunate in that a member of the public wouldn't be as far advanced because they wouldn't have the same access to the gym facilities or a physio that I have.

"All the exercises I am doing is keeping me trim but the main thing is not when I get back.

"The main thing is getting back fit again no matter how long it takes and I have more or less resigned myself to not playing again this season."

And while Duffield promised no let up in his fight back to fitness, the 31-year-old admitted he had decided against travelling with the team for away matches.

A regular at home games and at Bootham Crescent at least three times a week for treatment, Duffield revealed away-days were proving just too hard to stomach.

"I've been coming to the home games and I've been to a couple of the away games too but they have proved to be very long days when you are not involved," he said.

"When the lads sit down for their pre-match meal you can just start to feel the nerves and it's really hard knowing you're not going to be involved."

Duffield said he was gutted when he heard the news that club captain Peter Swan had been forced to retire with a knee injury.

"It is a big disappointment for Peter and it is a big disappointment for the club after he did so well at the end of last season," said Duffield.

"He was a good person to have around the club and got on well with all the lads."

A second goal in as many games for transfer-listed striker Marc Williams helped York City reserves to a 2-1 triumph at Scunthorpe United last night.

Full-back Neville Stamp bagged City's other goal in what was described as a solid performance.

Striker Alex Mathie and defender Wayne Hall boosted their match fitness by coming through 45 minutes unscathed while Marc Thompson managed a full 90 minutes.

Trialist Theo Gunnissen also came through 75 minutes successfully.

City boss Terry Dolan was not at the game, he was running the rule over Bradford City defender Mark Bower, who played against Leeds United reserves at Bootham Crescent.

Leeds won 4-1 with Darren Huckerby scoring a hat-trick.

* As reported in yesterday's Evening Press, City goalkeeper Russ Howarth will be hoping to be named in the starting line-up for England Under-18s friendly with Belgium at Bradford's Valley Parade tonight (kick-off 7.30pm).