YORK City defender Scott Jones has left the club due to family reasons.

The 28-year-old's contract with City has been terminated by mutual consent, with immediate effect today.

City boss Chris Brass said: "We are disappointed to lose Scott as he is a valuable member of the squad. Unfortunately due to family reasons he has had to leave the club and we wish him well for the future."

Sheffield-born Jones joined the club on loan from Bristol Rovers towards the end of the 2001/02 season and went on sign a permanent contract for the Minstermen in the summer of 2002. Since then he has made 27 appearances for the club.

Brass has pledged to persist with his pass-happy principles after Minstermen hopes of rewriting the record books were shattered by Lincoln.

Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Sincil Bank ended City's 100 per cent record in Division Three and also scuppered the chance of setting a new club record of five consecutive victories at the start to a season.

It also ensured City were knocked from top spot in the table - a position they held for just four days after an 11-year wait - by Swansea, who are in pole position courtesy of a better goal difference.

A more direct Lincoln proved too powerful for City, who struggled to repeat the passing and moving that had dominated their earlier showings this season.

Despite the heavy defeat, Brass refused to be too downcast and said City would take the blow on the chin.

He also insisted there would be no going back to the long-ball style of football that was favoured by Lincoln and was used by City in recent seasons.

"We are not going to change," he said defiantly. "Had we lost our first four games we would have stuck with our beliefs.

"We have to rise above this defeat and have the confidence to still want the ball.

"That is what we will be working on this week; keeping the ball, keeping the shape and keeping our beliefs."

Brass added: "We have had a tremendous start to the season and we will just have to take it.

"We showed in glimpses what we are all about but we didn't do it for 90 minutes, as we have done of late.

"You have to give Lincoln credit. They deserved to win the game and I don't think we deserved to get anything out of it.

"The 3-0 scoreline possibly flattered them but it was not the performance we asked for from the players.

"Lincoln had a good work rate and closed us down very quickly but we didn't move the ball quickly enough.

"You have bad days at the office. It happens. We cannot expect to turn up every game and be world beaters.

"It's big learning curve for us and as long as we learn from, take some positives then we will be fine."

Brass revealed match referee Kevin Friend has promised to look at the video of the tackle that led to Darren Dunning's dismissal.

The City midfielder was adjudged the last man after bringing down Lincoln's Mark Bailey and was sent-off.

To rub salt in City wounds, Paul Mayo also scored the resultant penalty.

Brass said he believed Dunning had won the ball and is hopeful the referee will overturn the red card.

"The ref has said if he feels he has made a mistake he will say so, so that is good to know," explained the City chief.

"I thought it was unfortunate. I thought he played the ball and it was going to be a corner.

"I will have to look at the video but I thought the red card was harsh and I'm disappointed if it means I'm going to lose Darren for a game now."

Darren Edmondson was substituted early in the second-half with a calf problem. However, Brass is hopeful his skipper will be available for Saturday's home encounter with Rochdale.

Available for that clash will be Brass himself, the City manager having now completed his three-match ban,

The City chief indicated Christian Fox could also be in line for a return after being sidelined with an ankle injury since the first game of the season.

Updated: 11:07 Monday, September 01, 2003