CRAWLEY Town will be giving a late fitness test to Conference hot-shot Charlie MacDonald before tomorrow's clash with York City.

MacDonald, 23, has scored five goals in Crawley's first six fixtures and is just one behind Barnet's leading Conference marksman Guiliano Grazioli.

But the former Charlton Athletic striker, who scored twice in just two starts with the Addicks, limped out of the action during the Sussex club's 3-2 defeat at Exeter on Saturday with a hamstring injury.

MacDonald also spent loan spells at Cheltenham, Torquay and Colchester before dropping into non-League football with Stevenage and Margate.

If he is not fit to face the Minstermen, his place is likely to be filled by Allan Tait and the hosts' fire power will be significantly reduced with Charlie Mapes and Ryan Palmer the only other players to find the net this season.

Midfielders Rob Kember, Mo Harkin and Paul Armstrong are definitely ruled out with injury and centre-back Kevin Hemsley could earn a recall with manager Francis Vines considering a switch from a 4-4-2 formation to a 3-5-2 line-up.

Crawley are unbeaten at home this season, having beaten Aldershot and Dagenham & Redbridge and shared the points with Hereford.

Their away form has been more patchy with defeats at Exeter and Accrington Stanley (4-0) following the 2-1 opening day triumph at lowly Leigh RMI.

City will be paying their first visit to the five-year-old, council-owned Broadfield Stadium to face one of the Conference's nine part-time teams.

Crawley were the Southern League's longest-serving club before last season's title-winning campaign ended their 20-year stay in the premier division.

The Red Devils were 12 points clear of Steve Claridge's highly-fancied Weymouth at the top, having previously enjoyed a highest finish of fourth.

Crawley were also once spared relegation because the team set to replace them failed to meet ground requirements.

Manager Vines is now a local legend, having won the Southern League Cup in his first season and then completed the double in his second.

A decent start to the season means Crawley are placed tenth ahead of tomorrow's match but Vines insists that the club's priority remains survival in their first season as a Conference outfit.

Updated: 10:56 Friday, September 10, 2004