YORK City boss Billy McEwan is looking for another captain's performance from Emmanuel Panther against Grays Athletic at KitKat Crescent tomorrow.

Panther produced an inspirational display to guide a City side, deprived of the services of suspended striker Clayton Donaldson, to a 1-1 draw at Halifax Town on Tuesday night.

Top scorer Donaldson will serve the second game of his three-match ban against Grays and McEwan is hoping Panther can compensate for the 20-goal forward's loss with the same level of commitment he showed against the Shaymen.

About his Scottish compatriot, McEwan said: "He played with a lot of pride for York City the other night. He also showed the type of adventure when he was going forward and willingness to get up and down the pitch that made us first sign him.

"We had not seen that for a while but we've changed his position slightly and the tactics of the team which suits him although other players have had to play out of position to get a team on the field."

McEwan is likely to keep the same personnel for tomorrow's match although Martyn Woolford could be used as an attacking partner for Craig Farrell, who was employed as a lone central striker on Tuesday evening.

Left-footed Woolford operated on the right wing against Halifax but McEwan could be tempted to play a front two in front of City's home fans.

The City boss said: "Craig Farrell worked hard up there. It's not an easy position to play but he should have scored for the fourth successive game because I've watched the video and his goal was wrongly disallowed for offside.

"He was too quick for the linesman. If we play the same way, players like Martyn and Steve Bowey will need to support him quickly and help him.

"We can also play Martyn in a 4-4-2 as we did in the second half at Kidderminster last Saturday and we might need to look at that."

Goalkeeper Tom Evans has declared himself available after having three stitches in his nose following his second-half injury at Halifax.

McEwan is also hoping for a first victory in five attempts against Grays.

The Minstermen have had their fair share of ill fortune when facing the Essex club, conceding a stoppage-time penalty in the club's first ever-meeting at the Recreation Ground in a 1-1 draw last season before losing to a last-minute goal at KitKat Crescent in the reverse fixture.

On-loan striker Darryn Stamp then saw a late effort disallowed at Grays this season, meaning City had to settle for a 0-0 draw.

McEwan added: "It's normally been tight against Grays in the past and they have mugged us in a couple of games. They've got a new manager (Justin Edinburgh) and new players now and it will take time for them to blend in but they have drawn to Oxford and been unfortunate to lose 1-0 to Dagenham in their last two games so we won't be under-estimating them."

Tomorrow's squads

City (probable): Evans, Craddock, McGurk, Parslow, Lloyd, Panther, McMahon, Bishop, Bowey, Woolford, Farrell. Subs: Reid, Peat, Dudgeon, Greenwood, Maidens.

Grays (probable): Bayes, Sambrook, Stuart, Cowan, El Kholti, Bodkin, Harding, Martin, Poole, O'Connor, Turner. Subs: Boylan, Nicholls, Knowles, Downer, Williamson.

Referee: Paul Varley (Yorkshire).

KICK-OFF: 3pm.