Strikers James Turley and Barry Conlon could be handed plundering duties tomorrow as York City chief Neil Thompson looks to turn his goalscoring zeroes to heroes.

With target man Colin Alcide ruled out with a back injury, Thompson looks set to resist the urge of pairing the club's top scorers in Marc Williams and Conlon together as he goes in hunt of City's first win in seven games.

Instead, the City boss, who confessed the Minstermen's season had reached "a critical stage", has hinted he is set to hand teenager Turley only his third start and charge him with the task of shooting down Torquay United.

"James certainly comes into the equation. He has shown a great attitude and physically he has developed as a player and is very hungry," said Thompson.

"I thought he put in a good performance for the reserves in midweek when he held the ball up very well and helped create a lot of chances.

"He and Barry worked off each very well and Barry's height is certainly something we will need and when he gets himself into the box he looks a real threat

"We need a positive result and to do that we need to score goals which is what we have been lacking. Ten goals from 13 games is not enough"

In midfield Thomspon also has problems.

With Steve Agnew out suspended and Kevin Hulme still recovering from a hernia operation, Thompson could be forced to give youth its fling at the heart of the City midfield.

Creative force Scott Jordan is still struggling to shake-off a back injury and so the City manager seems certain to hand the crunch central midfield berths to teenagers Christian Fox and Lee Bullock.

The pairing served Thompson well in the goalless draw with Plymouth back in November and the City manager admits they are at the forefront of his thinking.

"They are the obvious two," he confessed. "They are young lads but Lee did ever so well for the reserves at Notts County on Tuesday and scored a good goal and I am sure central midfield is where Foxy will end up eventually."

Veteran Wayne Hall is in the reckoning for his first team appearance since that Plymouth game after successfully coming through the reserve match in midweek.

With Thompson likely to maintain the left-back berth, Hall will probably come in on the left-hand side of midfield while John Williams patrols the right flank.

"We have got a few problems but we will overcome them," said Thompson. "There are one or two options and we have worked on things in training but we certainly do not have a surplus."

Wideman Craig Skinner, blighted by injury since the start of the season, could be in line for a place in the squad too after also playing nearly the full reserve match against Notts County.

"He came off with about five minutes to go and is still searching for his match fitness but it is coming by the week and whether he is right to put in yet is debatable," said Thompson.

After last Saturday's 4-1 win over Carlisle and a midweek win the Auto Windscreens Shield, Torquay will arrive at Bootham Crescent in midweek. The Carlisle win was their first league victory in five games, a barren run which had seen them drop from as high as fourth in the Division Three to eighth.

Manager Wes Saunders looks set to give former Worcester City striker Michael Griffiths an extended run in the side after scoring four goals in three starts in his first year in the professional ranks.

Griffiths, described as 'rough and ready', is expected to come into the side at the expense of Eifion Williams, who was substituted at half-time against Carlisle with a calf strain.

Alternatively, Saunders may hand the striking berth alongside 11-goal top scorer Tony Bedeau to O'Neill Donaldson, who has recovered from a month-long knee injury.

Indeed, Donaldson staked his claim for a starting role tomorrow by clinching the decisive goal in the Gulls' 1-0 midweek win at Plymouth in the second round of the southern section of the Auto Windscreens Shield tie.

York City readers have their say in tomorrow's Evening Press.

City v Torquay United Match Points

EIGHT of the last 11 games between the clubs at Bootham Crescent have ended all square.

IN total the Devon club have made 16 League trips, winning twice with nine draws.Their last win here was 3-2 in 1983-4 when they were the only side to beat City at home in the Fourth Division championship winning season. Their other success was 2-1 in 1964-5 - another promotion-winning campaign for City.

CITY'S biggest win in the series was 3-1 in 1971-2 when Paul Aimson, Kevin McMahon and Laurie Calloway were the scorers.

THE sides last met at York in September 1992 and City's 2-1 win created a new club record of having started a season with four straight victories. The scorers were Nigel Pepper (penalty) and Ray Warburton.

PLAYERS to have appeared for both clubs include Micky Cave, Sean Haslegrave, Trevor Wolstenholme, Andy Provan, Alan Pearce, Tom Kelly, Eddie Rowles and Paul Baker.

Tomorrow's Teams

York City: Mimms, Hocking, Jones, Sertori, Thompson, Fox, J Williams, Hall, Bullock, Conlon, Turley, M Williams, Dawson, Howarth, Reed, Jordan, Skinner.

Torquay United: Southall, Holmes, Hill, Thomas, Watson, Russell, Brandon, Healy, O'Brien, Bedeau, Williams, Griffiths, Donaldson, Platts, Tully, Aggrey, Neil, Simb, Northmore.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.