YORK City striker Jamie Reed is “gagging” to replace a doubtful Jason Walker in tomorrow’s starting line-up against Telford.

Reed is on standby for his first start of the season in the Bootham Crescent clash with Walker nursing a knee injury after making a terrific start to his City career with three goals in the opening two matches.

The former Barrow striker was substituted after 82 minutes of Tuesday’s 3-1 triumph over his old team and City boss Gary Mills is still waiting for a full diagnosis of the problem.

In the meantime, Reed is desperate to remind City fans of the form that brought him nine goals in 23 league games for the Minstermen last term after his January arrival from part-timers Bangor City.

As his team bid to extend their 100 per cent start to the new campaign to a third game, Mills said: “There’s fluid around Jason Walker’s knee and, while we are still waiting on the specialist’s report, we’re hopeful it’s nothing more serious. If there’s no damage and it’s just fluid then there’s an outside chance he could play.

“But, if he can’t, then Reedy’s gagging to get the shirt. In fact, he’s probably the only person hoping that Jason isn’t fit tomorrow.

“Reedy’s not Jason Walker and it would be unfair to compare them both. He can’t do everything that Jason can and it can be frustrating when he doesn’t hold the ball up at times but I didn’t sign him for that – I signed him because he’s a goalscorer.

“He can be awful for 89 minutes but then he’ll score you the winner in the 90th and his desire, willingness and confidence in front of goal is always there for all to see. He’s certainly ready if I decide to pick him.”

Liam Henderson would have been another contender for Walker’s place but has also suffered a jarred knee in training and is another doubt.

Midfielder Scott Kerr is edging closer to a return after his back injury but might have to settle for a place on the bench if fit.

With City lying second just two games into the new Blue Square Bet Premier season, Mills has challenged his team not to drop below that lofty position for the rest of the campaign, rubbishing any claims that early league standings count for little.

He said: “Of course it matters where you are after two games. It matters greatly, because we could be second bottom.

“I want to stay up there now and don’t want to drop any lower and why not? That might be a big challenge but, if we win tomorrow, we won’t be any lower than second and will have a good chance of going top.

“We deserve to be second because we’ve picked up six points and scored five goals. The only disappointment is we’ve conceded two.

“But I’m delighted to be second, delighted we are at home tomorrow and would be delighted if more than 3,000 fans turn up again to help us get three points.”

Mills is not complacent ahead of the match against part-timers Telford though and wants his players to target even higher standards than they have set in their opening two fixtures.

The City chief added: “It’s not about how good, bad or mediocre the opposition are. I know Telford are a big club from my days in the Conference North and they’ll bring quite a few fans, but it’s all about how we perform.

“So far, we’ve been very good and, if we can go from that to excellent, we will win the game. We’ve got better players than last season in my opinion – exciting players who perhaps need to learn the other side of the game quickly but, if they do, they will be even better.”