JOSH CARSON is determined to play in the FA Cup this season even if today's first round tie has come around too soon for him.

The returning York City winger will not be considered for this afternoon's home clash against AFC Wimbledon as he continues his eight-month comeback from cruciate ligament damage.

But Carson believes he would be in contention for the tournament's second round of matches, scheduled for the first weekend in December, if City can overcome the Wombles.

The Minstermen's former Northern Ireland international scored a spectacular goal at this stage of the competition last season as the visitors secured a 3-3 draw at Bristol Rovers.

He was away on under-21 duty for his country, though, as City were defeated 3-2 at Bootham Crescent in the replay and Carson, who will be powerless again as the Dons visit North Yorkshire, is willing his team-mates to victory in his absence.

"I really enjoy playing in the FA Cup," Carson confessed. "I am hoping we can progress as a team this weekend and, then, I can get a couple of games in it later on.

"It was horrible when we didn't get the result last season when I was away, because we went to Bristol and played well to get a 3-3 draw. Hopefully, we can go on a bit of a run this season, having gone out of the other two competitions.

"The plan is to get to the third round and get a big boy because you want to go to Man United, Liverpool or Chelsea and look forward to that."

Carson returned to a football pitch for the first time this week since suffering his injury at Portsmouth in March, playing the full 60 minutes of an in-house match between City's fringe players and members of the youth-team squad.

On that experience, he added: "It was great to get a little run about. It's been a long time in coming and I was tired towards the end but that's to be expected and I'm really excited now to push on and, hopefully, get a few games under my belt in the next couple of months.

"The knee feels quite good and strong and I've just got to keep working on it to prevent the injury happening again."

At the start of this season, Carson had aimed to be back in the first-team fold for the November 29 trip to Plymouth but feels he could now be involved for the visit to Hartlepool seven days earlier.

"I set myself that end-of-November target but, fingers crossed, I can be back before that and in another couple of weeks maybe," the ex-Ipswich winger enthused.

During his enforced absence, Carson witnessed the departure of former City boss Nigel Worthington, who gave him his full Northern Ireland debut at the age of 17, but the Ballymena-born attacker is now looking forward to working under new chief Russ Wilcox.

"The gaffer has been brilliant," Carson said. "He's come in and told us what he wants to do.

"We are starting to play good football and are getting a few results as well. Hopefully, he can push us up the table because I believe he's the right man for the job."

Elsewhere, Cameron Wilson's free-kick and fellow midfielder Liam Hardey's penalty secured a 2-0 extra-time victory for City in the FA Youth Cup at Abbey Hey.

The Minstermites will now travel to Crewe in the second round.