Two of York City's newest professionals are poised to vie for League debuts in answer to a mounting defensive crisis.

Intermediate and reserves' team-mates, York-born Andrew Dawson and Northallerton's Graham Rennison, both to get pro' contracts next season, are in direct opposition for a place in the heart of defence for City's trip to Luton Town tomorrow.

The duo both impressed in last night's 2-2 Pontin's League draw at second division leaders Barnsley, where City's rearguard resources were further depleted.

Left-back Paddy Atkinson had to come off after suffering a hamstring strain. He has been ruled out of a return against Luton.

Already out of the Kenilworth Road clash are skipper Tony Barras and his recent deputy Martin Reed, who is serving a one-match ban. One option was to restore Atkinson to left-back and move on-loan Neil Thompson inside.

But that has evaporated with Atkinson's injury and City manager Alan Little is now contemplating just a straight swap at centre-back, replacing the banned Reed with either Dawson or Rennison.

"They are natural centre-backs and rather than disrupt the side any more than is needed it might be that either one of them goes into the defence for the Luton game," said Little.

Both played their part in a 'patched-up' reserves back-line that also included Reed and first-year Youth trainee Pete Batchelor, once Atkinson limped out of the action at Oakwell.

City led the table-toppers 2-1, both goals bagged by striker Gary Bull. The first was from a penalty, the second a header judged by an assistant referee to have crossed the goal-line despite an attempted clearance, before the Tykes levelled 15 minutes from time.

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