FA Trophy slots in store for York City signings (From York Press)

FA Trophy slots in store for York City signings

12:00pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

YORK City new boys Erik Tonne, Ben Swallow and Chris Doig all look set to be on duty for tomorrow’s FA Trophy last 16 home clash with Ebbsfleet.

With Scott Brown serving the last game of a three-match suspension and Andre Boucaud having departed for Luton Town, on-loan Sheffield United midfielder Tonne looks poised for his full debut.

Swallow, meanwhile, is favourite to start on the left flank ahead of the likes of Ashley Chambers, Danny Pilkington and Adriano Moké, while Doig will be needed on the bench at least with fellow centre-backs David McGurk and Jamal Fyfield both ruled out due to injury.

City boss Gary Mills has also confirmed that top scorer Jason Walker is ready for a place among the substitutes after missing the last eight matches with a groin injury.

Citing the options his hat-trick of new additions will give him against Ebbsfleet, Mills said: “We’ve been sloppy at the back at times and have conceded more goals than I wanted to do so I’ve been looking for a bit of experience there for a while.

“We needed another midfielder because I want somebody who can get us more goals from that area. Paddy McLaughlin has done superbly in that respect and I believe Scott Brown will do when he returns from suspension, but I felt we needed one more and that’s why Erik Tonne is here.

“With Ben Swallow, we haven’t been creating enough chances from the left wing and he is a natural left footer who goes past players, delivers great crosses and scores goals. They are all available, which is good because that makes us stronger and I have big decisions to make now in terms of who starts the game.”

About the likelihood of 15-goal Walker featuring for the first time since the first round Trophy replay win at Solihull in December, Mills added: “All physios like to give players another week or two and I would never rush anybody back if I thought I was taking a risk, but I was delighted with how Jason played in our reserve match against Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

“It brought a smile to my face because we’ve missed certain things he brings to a game. He’s worked hard and, if we were to play him, I think the adrenalin and his desire and hunger to play would overcome any lack of match fitness.

“He won’t be 100 per cent fit, but the chance to have him starting the match or coming off the bench is a major boost.”

Mills added that the signing of Doig will buy some time for McGurk, as he continues to shrug off a troublesome knee problem.

The City chief said: “Dave McGurk has a knee problem and has had it for a while. He wasn’t right in the game at Middlesbrough and we’ve got to get it sorted now. He’s been trying to get through training and the games that he’s played in but it’s an issue with him.

“With Chris Doig coming in, that gives him a bit of leeway to get himself right and that’s important to me.

“There were no excuses for his start to the season when his form wasn’t what I expect from him and certainly not what he expects from himself.

“He was not on his own at the back in that respect but he needs to get over his knee injury now to give himself a chance to be 100 per cent in whatever games he will take part in between now and the end of the season.

“I need that going into a very important period because I can’t play somebody who’s not right mentally or physically.

“If you’re not right physically, you’re not right mentally as you’re always worrying about your injury. Jamal Fyfield also went over on his ankle at Middlesbrough and he hasn’t been training.”

City have beaten Ebbsfleet twice already this season, following up an opening day 2-1 victory against their ten-man Stonebridge Road hosts with last month’s 3-2 home triumph, achieved despite having Brown sent off after only 15 minutes.

But Mills has stressed his team must not under-estimate Liam Daish’s mid-table side in this third meeting, saying: “We’ve beaten them twice but they were both tough games.

“The victories will have given us confidence but, equally, they might inspire them not to let it happen again.

“These things can work both ways and we’ve got to ensure that our confidence doesn’t lead to a bit of complacency creeping in.

“We can’t be thinking that because we’ve beaten them twice, we will beat them a third time.

“I keep saying the hardest thing to do is to keep winning football matches and, if we beat them three times, it shows we have got a lot of mental strength.”

The City boss went on to admit that he is getting excited by his team’s progress towards the business end of this season’s Trophy, adding: “If we win on Saturday, we are in the quarter-finals and, when you are talking about rounds in cup competitions, that lifts players, fans and everybody at a football club.”