YORK City defender David McGurk might need to bide his time before receiving a first-team recall from manager Martin Foyle.

McGurk, the club’s longest servant, is fit again after missing Saturday’s impressive 3-1 home victory over Histon, having limped out of the action with a hamstring injury during the early stages of the 2-1 win at Gateshead.

But summer signing Djoumin Sangare has been given his chance in McGurk’s absence and, having recovered from a minor injury himself this week, looks likely to retain his place in tomorrow’s home match against Crawley Town.

McGurk, pictured, faced a similar fight to get back into the team last season when another spell on the sidelines saw Shaun Pejic seize his opportunity and City boss Foyle said: “It is important that all the players know that as long as people are doing a job and the team is doing well, then there can be no complaints if everything is done fairly in terms of team selection.”

A place on the bench might also be the most midfielder Levi Mackin can hope for after he marked his return from a foot infection with 65 minutes in Tuesday’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Scunthorpe.

The decision to postpone City’s September 19 trip to Luton Town because of a planned political march by the English Defence League on the same day means the Bootham Crescent club are now in the midst of a run that sees them play six home games in seven fixtures.

Having entertained Histon last weekend, City will travel to Barrow after tomorrow’s match before playing host to Kettering, Cambridge United, Kidderminster and Stevenage in consecutive matches.

The Minstermen have taken seven points from a possible nine at Bootham Crescent this season after winning their last two home games of the previous campaign.

Foyle’s men have also only conceded two goals during that unbeaten five-match sequence, but the City chief feels the next five visitors will prove a threat to the run.

He said: “It’s disappointing to have the Luton game called off for something that has nothing to do with football.

“It will now need to be reorganised at a time that might not suit us as well.

“The run of home games could give us a good opportunity but it will be a massive test looking at who we are going to play. Crawley will be very hard and it won’t be an exciting game.

“They are very direct and narrow and have a lot of players in the middle of the park so we won’t have a lot of time to play. They will look to shut up shop and make themselves very hard to beat and Kettering will be the same next Saturday.

“There won’t be too much pretty football. There’s also a bit more pressure on us at home but it would be nice to keep the unbeaten run going on as long as possible.”

City (probable): Ingham, Purkiss, Sangare, Parslow, Meredith, Smith, Lawless, Barrett, Ferrell, Brodie, Gash. Subs: McGurk, Mackin, Rankine, O’Hare, Nelthorpe.

Crawley (probable): Jordan, Rusk, Broadhurst, Collins, Rents, Djilali, Hutchinson, Pinault, Cogan, Malcolm, Louis. Subs from: Rayner, Quinn, Killeen, Barton, Carruthers, Forrest.

Referee: Mark Heywood (Cheshire). Kick-off: 3pm.