TOWERING centre-back John McCombe has insisted York City are still setting their sights high despite the club's current position in the lower reaches of Sky Bet League Two.

The Minstermen travel to Newport tomorrow fourth-bottom in the standings after 11 games and just two points above basement side Hartlepool.

But McCombe revealed that nobody is gazing over their shoulders at Bootham Crescent with the club having kicked off 2014 a place lower than their current position before going on to clinch a play-off spot last term.

He said: "We're still looking upwards. It's only early in the season and we feel we should be higher in the table with the ability in the side and our performances during the opening games.

"We've had a lot of draws, but we've got some good players and a good team. I thought we started the season quite well but just didn't get the results because of the late goals we were conceding.

"Recently, our standards have dropped a bit but, on Saturday, I thought we were getting back to a level we are capable of against Portsmouth. We still know we can produce more, but I have confidence in the players, management and staff that we can get a few wins under our belt.

"We're not sitting around sulking. We are working hard to get points and improve our league position in coming weeks."

McCombe, who was a mainstay as City kept 14 clean sheets in their final 18 games last season, has been dropped twice from the starting line-up this term - with the latest occasion following a 0-0 draw against Luton.

He reclaimed his place for the goal-less stalemate against Portsmouth and never came to loggerheads with manager Nigel Worthington during his absence from the first XI.

"The manager pulls you in when he takes you out of the team and that's something he's good at," the ex-Port Vale and Mansfield defender added. "He tells you why you are in and out of the team and you have to take that on board and work on what he tells you to on the training ground.

"I thought I could have played a little bit better against Luton and you just have to keep working hard and, when you get that chance to come back in, you have to do well. I was very pleased to be back in on Saturday.

"No footballer wants to be out of the team - it's disappointing - so I was pleased we kept a clean sheet. It was just a shame we couldn't get a goal from the couple of chances we had."

Despite the club's lowly standing, McCombe has only been on the losing side once - during the 2-0 defeat at Burton - in eight league outings.

He is, therefore, content with his performance levels whilst admitting there is still room for improvement, reasoning: "I feel I have played quite well overall apart from a couple of spells in games.

"I'm not overly worried about that because I think I've done all right and I know I can still pick things up a level so, hopefully, I can get a good run in the team now."

McCombe, 29, is now preparing for his first trip to Newport and expects a difficult test, saying: "It's a new ground for me, but I have played against them and know they are a big, physical team who get the ball forward.

"I remember the home game being a tough match last season, especially for the first half-hour, but we ground out a result. I'm looking forward to another good challenge and three points to kick us on for the rest of the season."

 

Central reservation strikes at County

NEWPORT County are facing a midfield crisis ahead of their home meeting with York City.

Justin Edinburgh’s men lost Adam Chapman to an ankle injury during last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Oxford and will also be without Mark Byrne through suspension after he was shown his fifth yellow card of the season at the Kassam Stadium.

Former Barnet campaigner Byrne has been an ever present in Sky Bet League Two for the Exiles this term, while Chapman has started all but one of the South Wales side’s 13 fixtures during 2014/15.

Edinburgh should be able to call on the services of Lee Minshull again despite a groin injury seeing him miss his first league match of the season last weekend.

But long-term casualties Max Porter and Michael Flynn are not likely to be in contention for a recall.

Both are back in training but the former has not kicked a ball all season and the latter has not featured in a league game since the opening day due to a hamstring problem.

The absentees leave Edinburgh with a real dilemma as he is determined to persevere with his 3-5-2 formation.

One option might have been to play striker Danny Crow in a withdrawn role but he is awaiting a scan on an ankle problem and has been wearing a plastic protective boot this week and Robbie Willmott could now move forward from wing-back instead.

County’s fitness woes are not just restricted to the midfield department either.

Former Torquay and Burton striker Rene Howe is expected to miss the rest of the season with a thigh injury after only managing three league outings this season before breaking down.

Defender Byron Anthony also hasn’t featured since March and right wing-back Ryan Jackson remains doubtful after missing the last two matches.

Fellow wing-back Andrew Hughes is set to return on the opposite flank, though, after serving a three-match suspension following his red card at Shrewsbury last month.

Despite their injury woes, Newport are unbeaten in the league at Rodney Parade since a 2-0 opening day defeat to Wycombe.

Since then, eight points have been taken from a possible 12 with top-seven sides Northampton and Burton failing to leave with a victory.

Northampton were seen off 3-2 while Burton had to settle for a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

Seventh-bottom County boast the best defensive record in the bottom half of the table with 12 goals conceded and have only lost one of their last eight home games in the league.

On-loan Charlton striker Joe Pigott is the team’s top scorer with two goals this season, along with Aaron O’Connor and Chris Zebroski.

Newport (probable): Day, Sandell, Jones, Yakubu, Tancock, Hughes, Minshull, Klukowski, Willmott, Pigott, O’Connor.