STRIKER Paul Robinson will be hoping to build on his midweek goal when York City tackle Hereford at Bootham Crescent tomorrow.

The former Newcastle United man ended a personal 22-game goal drought - hanging over from last season with the second strike in City's 2-0 victory over Tamworth.

City player-manager Chris Brass had instructed hit-man Robinson to be more careful in possession outside the box and that paid rich dividends..

The City boss said: "He's flying high after Tuesday night and we will let him get on with it. He will go through purple patches when he scores every game and he will also have barren runs when you wonder where the hell he is.

"That's part and parcel of being a striker but we will stick with him because he's got the talent. We want him to limit his touches outside the area but, once he gets in the area, he can do whatever he likes because if he loses it in there it does not concern you.

"He took that on board against Tamworth and kept it simple outside the area but came alive in it. If he continues to do that everybody will be raving about him."

Brass' only gripe this week has been with the players on the fringes of the first-team squad, who failed to put pressure on his starting XI during Wednesday's 4-1 reserve defeat at Huddersfield.

Goalscorer Lee Nogan, Lev Yalcin, David Merris, Sean Davies, Chris Porter, Adam Arthur and Kane Ashcroft all played in the game but Brass said: "Nobody gave me food for thought to be honest during that game. For the youngsters, the reserves is about progress but for the professionals who are not coming back from injury, they have to make it difficult for me to keep them out of the side and they didn't do that."

The juniors are in action tomorrow at Hull City in the Football Alliance North East Conference Under-18 League.

Updated: 11:09 Friday, August 20, 2004