Postponements mean cold storage for Scott ban and Jason bid (From York Press)

York City postponements mean cold storage for Scott ban and Jason bid

12:00pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

York City’s Scott Brown, far right, gets a red card against Ebbsfleet last month

YORK City manager Gary Mills is counting the cost of the cold weather with midfielder Scott Brown now ruled out of Saturday’s Blue Square Bet Premier clash at play-off rivals Grimsby Town.

Mills also admitted the postponement of tonight’s rearranged FA Trophy third round tie with Ebbsfleet and yesterday’s frozen-off reserve team friendly with Newcastle means top scorer Jason Walker is unlikely to be risked from the start against the Mariners.

It had been hoped that Walker, who has missed the last eight matches with a groin injury, would follow up a 45-minute, behind-closed-doors run-out at Middlesbrough by playing some part in the twice-postponed Trophy tie, while also getting a full match under his belt against the Magpies.

Mills might have then been in a strong position to judge whether his £60,000 summer signing would have been ready to kick off this weekend’s big Blundell Park encounter with the in-form hosts now just three points behind fourth-placed City in the table.

Former Fleetwood midfielder Brown, meanwhile, has missed out on the opportunity to complete his three-match suspension in the Trophy match, ruling him out of Saturday’s encounter.

He will now be eligible for next Tuesday’s new date against Ebbsfleet, assuming the Grimsby game goes ahead.

But, by then, Brown will have been absent for more than three weeks after getting sent off in only his third appearance for the Minstermen – the 3-2 league triumph over Ebbsfleet at Bootham Crescent.

About his weather woes, Mills said: “We wanted the game at Newcastle for Jason Walker more than anybody so that’s a disappointment. He played a half last week and I was hoping to give him 90 minutes yesterday.

“Scott Brown will also be missing for Saturday’s match so that’s a down side because that ban is lingering on now.”

The plummeting temperatues have also meant changes to Mills’ training schedules with the City chief adding: “We trained on an area of the pitch that wasn’t too bad on Saturday for a good couple of hours and went on PlayFootball’s artificial pitch at Clifton Moor yesterday.

“But we are hoping to get an area of the training field cleared so we can get on there today as I don’t want to do much on artificial surfaces.

“I want to get back on grass as soon as we can.”

The weather is likely to have improved by the time the England ‘C’ international against Italy comes around on February 28 and Mills added that Matty Blair’s call-up to the squad for the match at Fleetwood Town hardly came as a surprise.

He said: “I don’t think there could be anybody who deserves the call-up more in our league.

“He’s been outstanding and his overall game during the past few weeks has been tremendous. His performances have been getting better and better.”