NIGEL Worthington has insisted the loan signing of target man Ryan Brunt does not mean his York City team will adopt a more direct approach to reverse their fortunes in Sky Bet League Two.

City entertain Portsmouth tomorrow having only won one of their last 15 fixtures - against a ten-man Stevenage team - but Worthington wants his side to resist the temptation to pump long balls up the pitch towards 6ft 1in striker Brunt.

The Birmingham-born, 21-year-old has joined the Minstermen for an initial month and Worthington admitted his robust performances for the Pirates campaign caught his eye last term.

But, on the importance of avoiding surrendering possession cheaply, Worthington said: "We played Bristol Rovers four times last season and Ryan was a real handful when he was on the pitch.

"He gives us a bigger frame through the middle but, regardless of his size, we've still got to pass the ball and will be looking to do that."

Worthington is pondering whether to include Brunt in his first XI against Pompey with the ex-Stoke City reserve having last completed 90 minutes a year ago and, since then, started just two matches following nine months on the sidelines after knee surgery.

The City chief added: "We've got to think about whether we start with him or not. If we can get him through an hour or 70 minutes then, if things are going all right and he's doing a job, that will be a fantastic help to us.

"He has joined in all the training since Tuesday so we will see, but the one thing we don't want to do is get him injured."

Worthington has also suggested that he is open to the idea of Brunt staying at Bootham Crescent for longer than the current agreement.

"When we put a phone call into him, he was on his way up here within half-an-hour," Worthington revealed. "That's the enthusiasm I'm looking for.

"He's here for the next month and, if all goes well for him and us, maybe beyond then."

A move for fellow loan target Jamar Loza, though, has been complicated by the Norwich winger's call-up for Jamaica's friendly against Japan next week.

On Loza's situation, Worthington reasoned: "One thing that gets in the way a bit is international duty because it's not like Jamaica is next door and you could lose him for a week or ten days. If you had him for a month, he could miss two games and that might not make good business sense.

"As I have said before, there are also League One clubs interested in him."

Worthington reckons, meanwhile, that tomorrow's game against a Pompey team who will be cheered on by more than a thousand fans represents the ideal fixture for his team to get back on track.

"It's a great game to get your teeth into," he argued. "It will be all about desire and passion.

"People were a bit shocked when I was critical after the Luton game but I had seen signs in the Burton match that we were tailing off. Without being clever, I've been proved right and we've got to get back to basics, do what we are good at and start winning games again."

Worthington and his players came underfire from angry fans following last weekend's 2-0 defeat in Dagenham and, while fully accepting that response, he stressed the importance of unity at Bootham Crescent, explaining: "Criticism is part and parcel of football.

"You don't like it but you have to live with it, roll your sleeves up and work as hard as you can. We need to perform to lift the crowd and get them going, rather than the other way round.

"If you perform then, nine times out of ten, you will get a pat on the back, but you can't expect one if you're not performing to your usual level.

"As ever, if we stick together, we will be a lot stronger than if we don't. That's very, very important.

"The support the fans have given us since I've been here, home and away, has been absolutely phenomenal and I've got no issue with them letting us know they weren't happy last weekend. You live with that and it's important to react the right way and give them something to shout about.

"Regardless of the score, any team must take the game to the final whistle. We are in front of our own fans this weekend and it's important we get a good performance over the course of 90 minutes."

Luke Summerfield has been singled out by unhappy sections of City's support during recent games with his substitution at Dagenham heralding sarcastic cheers from the away end and Worthington has told the 26-year-old midfielder that he can only silence any critics with his displays on the pitch, saying: "When any individual gets targeted, it's a little bit unfair because, last Saturday, it was a collective situation, but it's a man's game.

"I've been there, seen it and done it and you just have to get on with things and, if for whatever reason, things aren't going your way in one game, you have to make sure they do in the next one."