YORK City boss Billy McEwan has entered into talks with Darlington about bringing former on-loan defender David McGurk back to KitKat Crescent.

McGurk was recalled on New Year's Day by the Quakers when his six-month spell with the Minstermen expired.

Darlington manager David Hodgson promised the 23-year-old defender he would be given the opportunity of first-team football and, following an ankle injury, he made his first League Two start of the season in a 2-1 victory over Peterborough.

But McGurk was dropped to the bench for the North-East club's next match - a 0-0 draw against Grimsby - and did not even make the squad for Saturday's 2-0 triumph at Oxford.

Before his return to Darlington, McGurk claimed that Hodgson would allow him to rejoin York on loan if he fell out of first-team favour again.

It is also thought that a £20,000 deal would secure his services on a permanent basis.

McEwan would not comment on whether a return for McGurk could be finalised before tonight's Conference home match with Southport (7.45pm) but said: "We are speaking about it but nothing has happened at the moment and the match is the most important thing to concentrate on."

City will face a Southport team that won their first match since October on Saturday.

The Sandgrounders enjoyed an impressive 1-0 victory at Stevenage and McEwan has made his players aware that the visitors will be battling for their Conference survival at KitKat Crescent, knowing that three points could lift them off the bottom of the table.

He said: "They will have taken a big lift from winning at Stevenage because they won it well apparently and could have won by a bigger margin. We know they are fighting for their lives and a lot of teams have come here and been defensive recently so we have to be aware of that, show patience and keep our concentration."

Bottom-of-the table Southport's a surprise win at play-off hopefuls Stevenage was a remarkable turn-round in form, having taken just one point from a possible 30 going into the Broadhall Way clash.

It is a result that has given the Haigh Avenue club - three points adrift of a place outside the Conference relegation zone - renewed hope in their fight to beat the drop.

New Southport signing Liam Blakeman, who has joined from Burscough, where he had harnessed a reputation as the UniBond League's best midfielder, impressed on his debut after agreeing two-and-a-half year terms.

The Minstermen will also need to beware of right-sided midfielder Carl Baker - a former Liverpool youth-team player who has recently received a call-up to the National Game XI Under-23 non-League squad.

Manager Liam Watson is expected to field an unchanged side, with striker Steve Daly serving the third match of his suspension.

Former Barrow boss Lee Turnbull is now Watson's assistant after ex-City manager Chris Brass turned down the position to join League Two Bury as a player.

Updated: 11:33 Tuesday, January 24, 2006