York City skipper Barry Jones looks set to miss next week's visit of Brighton after badly bruising his ribs in Saturday's superb victory at promotion-chasing Cheltenham.

UNDER PRESSURE: Cheltenham's Hugh McAuley clears as City pair Peter Hawkins and Steve Agnew move in

The in-form centre-back went down after 20 minutes when challenging with two others to clear a home corner, and walked off gingerly after a couple of minutes' on-pitch treatment.

He returned to the fray the next time the ball went out of play, but left the action for good a quarter of an hour later holding his left side.

He was still clutching his ribs as he got onto the team bus after the game, and said: "I'm feeling bad now, but hopefully I will be okay in a week or so.

"I got clattered from behind on my left side when going for the ball, I'm not sure who by," added the 29-year-old player-of-the-year contender.

"As soon as we get the results from the x-rays we will know what's wrong."

Those x-rays have revealed the defender had not, as first feared, cracked any ribs, which would have ruled him out for the season.

Manager Terry Dolan said today: "Thankfully there's nothing cracked which is good news.

"But he's obviously very sore so we will have to take it day by day. I can't imagine him being right for the coming weekend."

Happily for Dolan, he had veteran centre-back Chris Fairclough on the bench at Whaddon Road and the fit-again club captain was a like-for-like replacement.

The 36-year-old former Leeds defender took over Jones' captaincy of the side and, as demonstrated by another defensive shut-out, had little trouble fitting back into the team.

At the other end, reborn striker Mark Sertori finally broke his goal duck with the winner.

Under Dolan, the 32-year-old Mancunian has made the centre-forward's berth his own and after ten games of bulldozing forward-line work, finally got onto the scoresheet.

Sertori was happier with the fact the team extended their unbeaten run to eight games - beating another of the third division's form teams - rather than his goal.

"Goals aren't that important to me as long as we win," he said.

"When you stop winning is when you start worrying. Obviously I want to score, don't get me wrong, but as long as we do the right things at the right time and win games that's the main thing. That's what the gaffer wants."

He added: "I've had a couple of half-chances and should have had another goal on Saturday, but I took one and it gets me off the mark."

Boss Dolan, who moved the former centre-back up front after taking over at Bootham Crescent in February, said: "I believe that's his first goal for the club and I'm delighted for him. He had one chance just before the goal and the 'keeper's made a good save, but he then got on the scoresheet."

The manager, who has instilled a definitive solidity at the back, also had words of praise for the defence, who have now kept five clean sheets in six games.

"The whole defence as a unit has done well and we're looking solid at the back," he said.

"But it was not just the back three; the wing-backs, midfield and forwards also did an excellent defensive job, especially at set pieces which I think we dealt with very well."

sport@ycp.co.uk

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