NIGEL WORTHINGTON admits his options up front are limited for Saturday's Sky Bet League Two clash with Northampton at Bootham Crescent - but the York City boss won't be dipping into the loan market or changing formation.

An X-ray on Ryan Jarvis' injured ankle has revealed he has not suffered serious damage after being stretchered off against the Cobblers but the former Torquay frontman is expected to be out for three weeks.

With Wes Fletcher still returning from the serious knee injury he suffered last season and Jake Hyde touch and go with a calf problem, Worthington may be forced to start with Michael Coulson and 16-year-old Ben Hirst as the Minstermen gear up for their first League match on home turf.

"We'll come up with something, don't worry," the ex-Northern Ireland chief said when asked what was planned for York's attack. "I'm not looking at the loan market at the moment.

"You can do all sorts of things with formations but I just think when you have got players performing well and happy in their positions, why go and change everything for the sake of it? If you stick one up front, you might make the situation worse for yourselves.

"We have got our system. It is engrained in the players' minds. They know their roles within the system and we will keep doing that. It is that bit in front of goal.

"We have got to relax and make sure we hit the back of the net."

Worthington added of Jarvis, Fletcher and Hyde: "Ryan has had an X-ray. There's nothing too serious, which is good news, but we are looking at a period of probably up to three weeks.

"Wes has trained with the main group for the last two weeks so he has got a certain amount of fitness through that. He hasn't played any game time at all but he would be good for maybe 20 or 25 minutes if required.

"Hyde is coming on. He'll be touch and go whether he makes it or not. We will assess him on Saturday at the last moment and go from there."

Asked whether he would start Hirst if the situation demanded it, Worthington said: "If it was the right way to go you would certainly look at it. But we will see where we are at on Saturday at 2pm before we think on that one and give everybody else a chance."

On the youngster's progress, he added: "He's coping fine because I make sure he copes fine and keep his feet on the floor. He hasn't achieved anything yet. He has just stepped into the club, probably six weeks ago, for the first time outside of the academy.

"It's nice we can involve a young player at such an early age of the season - through necessity - but, credit to him, he has come in and he hasn't let himself or the team down.

"That's very pleasing. There will be times when he is back with the youth team over the course of the season. That's part of his education and his maturing."

City meet a buoyant Northampton outfit following their League Two opening day victory over Mansfield and a Capital One Cup shock at Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek and Worthington is under no illusions about their capabilities.

He said: "They are a strong side. We have watched them and had the reports. They are lively up front so we will have to manage that and be nice and strong. They are pretty strong all over.

"I think it will be a good game, a good battle - from a physical point of view and of mental strength. It will be who is standing at the final whistle at the end of the 15th round.

"It would be great to get the first win and the players would deserve it through their endeavours. But we have got to make it happen."