DAVE Merris has recovered from a back injury in time to travel to Aldershot as York City prepare for tomorrow's kick-off to the new Nationwide Conference season.

City's coach was leaving Bootham Crescent this afternoon with Merris on board and the team are staying overnight in Hampshire.

Midfielder Kevin Donovan is not making the trip because of a hamstring problem but Paul Crichton will be in goal at the Recreation Ground after agreeing a one-month contract last night.

City boss Chris Brass said: "Dave Merris is OK. He came through training yesterday and seems all right so he will come into the squad. Kevin Donovan is still struggling slightly and I don't want to risk him breaking down because he will be a major player for us during the course of the season.

"We want to keep Paul Crichton for longer than the month finances have dictated and I think he wants to stay so the deal is with the view to an extension."

Brass could deputise for Donovan on the right-side of midfield and the City boss admits he is looking forward to a tough start to the new season, which will pit his side against last season's beaten play-off finalists Aldershot, unpredictable Tamworth and 2003/04 runaway runners-up Hereford United within the first seven days.

He said: "It will be a tough start facing both Aldershot and Hereford but it's also a good benchmark to see if we are up to scratch. We can also send out our own little message that we are a team to be reckoned with.

"We will give them the respect that they are due but our boys are champing at the bit. Aldershot are fully aware of what it entails to get results in this league but I think we have got a great chance against them.

"It will probably come down to who settles first out of the two teams. Fitness will also play a part during the latter parts of the game but we have prepared well and the boys are looking sharp."

Brass believes that former City centre-back Ray Warburton could be the biggest obstacle to overcome if his side are to get a result at the Recreation Ground tomorrow.

Aldershot skipper Warburton, 36, impressed Brass last season and has signed a new one-year contract with the Shots.

The City boss said: "One or two people might have wrote Ray off before last season but he knows what the Conference is all about and if you look at the goals against column for Aldershot they did quite well. I think the key to their success was having two strikers capable of scoring lots of goals and Ray at the back organising the people around him. I'm hoping Steve Davis can do a similar job for ourselves.

"Ray was fantastic in the play-off final and did not deserve to be on the losing side but he has been turning performances like that in week in, week out for the last few years. I'm sure he's got another good season left in him and maybe even more.

"He's still a threat at set pieces and we will have to be fully aware of that. The two lads up front need to be aware that they will also not be in for an easy ride as I'm sure he'll be cute as the old professional side comes out in him."

Squads:

Aldershot Town v City

Nationwide Conference

(at Recreation Ground)

Aldershot (probable): Bull, Warner, Warburton, Giles, D Barnard, Miller, Watson, McAuley, Crittenden, D'Sane, McLean. Subs: R Barnard,l Antwy, Smith, Jon Challinor, Sills, Johnson.

City (probable): Crichton, Law, Davis, Clarke, Smith, Brass, Groves, Dunning, Merris, Bishop, Robinson. Subs: Porter, Yalcin, Pearson, Nogan, Davies.

Referee: Martin Yearby (Kent)

Kick-off: 3pm

Match points:

Aldershot Town v City

City's last visit to the Recreation Ground was in the 1990/91 season when on April 1, 1991 they won a Fourth Division encounter 1-0 courtesy of a Mark Ogley own goal.

City's line-up was: Marples, McMillan, Hall, Pepper, Tutill, McCarthy, Barratt, Curtis (Grayson), Helliwell, Blackstone, Canham.

This game marked the only appearance in City colours of Neil Grayson. The local-born striker went on to play for Northampton Town and Cheltenham Town.

City made a total of 22 Football League visits to Aldershot, winning seven times and drawing seven.

Their last eight trips to the Hampshire club resulted in five wins and three draws.

Their biggest win on this ground was 4-1 in 1983/84 when the scorers were Keith Houchen on his debut, John MacPhail, John Byrne and Alan Pearce. Their heaviest reverse was 6-1 in 1960/61.

Along with Ray Warburton other players to have represented both clubs include Malcolm Crosby, Dale Banton, Ian McDonald and Adrian Randall.

Updated: 11:09 Friday, August 13, 2004