Injury has placed York City on a centre-spot of bother as they head for Luton Town.

Doughty defender Martin Reed did not train yesterday and was rated doubtful for a match in which the Minstermen have been urged to 'stand up and be counted'.

If Reed is out a new partnership will be forged at the centre of City's defence with on-loan Chris Fairclough likely to be paired with any of three contenders, two of whom suffered red-card anguish at Kenilworth Road in the corresponding game last season.

Mark Tinkler has been added to the squad after completing his three-match ban for his third sending-off this term, while 20-year-old stalwart Graham Rennison is also recalled.

Northallerton-born Rennison will need no reminding how he was only 34 minutes into his senior debut last term at Luton's stronghold when he was sent off for deliberate handball.

At the tail-end of the clash the Minstermen were reduced to nine when Tinkler also walked for two cautions. City were eventually beaten 3-1.

While Tinkler is the more experienced of the two City caretaker-manager Thompson felt the former Leeds man needed a reserves run-out to hone his fitness.

Ironically, Rennison's only first-team outing this season was in the second-half of the FA Cup tie at Wrexham in a defensive re-shuffle prompted by Tinkler's expulsion for handball.

If neither get the vote to link up with the impressive Fairclough then Thompson may even plump for himself alongside the man with whom he started apprenticeships with Nottingham Forest in the late 1970s.

Said Thompson: "Tinks has missed almost three weeks playing and that's the $64,000 question.

"He needs a game or two, but he is in the group. I'll decide on what the team is going to be later. But we are all in the squad and whoever is in has to be prepared to play."

The Minstermen will also need to replicate the brightness shown in the second-half against Lincoln rather than the spark-lacking frailty that led to home defeat by Chesterfield.

And he was hopeful the greater freedom on the ball afforded by Luton's style would benefit City.

"We are capable of getting the right results, but we have to believe it," said Thompson.

"Instead of waiting for things to happen we have got to make things happen. Teams will not lie down for you at this stage of the season."

Luton manager Lennie Lawrence was at Bootham Crescent on Saturday, 24 hours after his Hatters had been held to a draw at Oldham Athletic.

The southerners took the lead after five minutes through ex-Northern Ireland international Phil Gray, but surrendered all three points when Oldham defender Shaun Garnett levelled midway through the second-half.

Besides Gray, Luton's striking power has been boosted by the return of former Kenilworth Road favourite Tony Thorpe, who is on loan from Bristol City.

Tinkler raring to get stuck in

by Tony Kelly, Chief Sports Writer

EAGER to return Mark Tinkler declared it time for York City to express themselves with passion.

The City midfielder is praying to be back in the reckoning for tonight's trip to Luton Town after sitting out the last fortnight serving a three-match ban for his third sending-off this season.

While the first to admit he has added to his own disciplinary problems this term no-one could accuse Tinkler of not showing the belly for the fight.

Now his fervour could provide the fillip the Minstermen need.

Tinkler, one of the stars of last season's scrap to avoid the descent into the basement, was convinced City would pull clear again.

But he added: "It's time we stopped just talking about it and got on with it.

"I'm still confident we can do it. The players here have the quality to stay up. But we need to turn that into points and quickly.

"It's been horrible watching these past two weeks but we've got to stop the losing streak. Even if we manage a point at Luton that would be something to work from. We've got to get something from the game."

Tinkler knows however he is on a tightrope as he is now awaiting the findings of an FA panel to decide on a disrepute charge brought against him for remarks made to referee Ray Olivier during the loss at Bristol Rovers in which Tinkler was sent off.

Luton Town v City: Match Points

Luton Town from: Davis, Wilmott, Thomas, Spring, Dyche, Johnson, Gray, McLaren, Douglas, Thorpe, McGowan, McIndoe, White, Fotiadis

York City from: Warrington, Jones, Hall, Jordan, Reed, Fairclough, Pouton, Garratt, Williams, Tolson, Skinner, Dawson, Rowe, Hocking, Tinkler, Rennison, Thompson.

Ref: Chris Foy (St Helens)

Kick-off: 7.45pm

City have lost their five previous visits to Kenilworth Road, scoring just twice and conceding 17; 1966/7 1-5; 1967/8 1-3; 1975/6 0-4; 1996/7 0-2; 1997/8 0-3.

In the corresponding game last season Graham Rennison and Mark Tinkler were both sent off.

Players to have represented both clubs include Reg Stockill, Jimmy Weir, Jim Goldie and Rob Matthews.

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