PLAYER-BOSS Chris Brass is refusing to rest on his recruitment laurels in the wake of Luton striker Dean Crowe's sudden arrival at Bootham Crescent.

Crowe was a shock inclusion in the Minstermen squad that drew 0-0 at Macclesfield on Saturday, after signing a one-month loan deal from Kenilworth Road just minutes before Friday's deadline.

Brass is clearly delighted to have landed the 24-year-old striker, who has bagged 31 League goals in only 86 starts, to boost his firepower.

However, Brass will continue to cast his eye over trialist striker Gary Browne, who has been given a stay of execution as he tries to win a permanent deal at City.

The Northern Ireland Under-21 striker has been training at Bootham Crescent in recent weeks and featured for the Minstermen's reserves against Notts County last week.

The second-string game, which ended in a 2-1 victory for City, was thought to be make-or-break for Browne's Minstermen career.

However, Brass today revealed to the Evening Press he was extending former Manchester City forward Browne's trial by another two weeks.

"He has got something but he is not yet fit enough. The next two weeks will enable him to get fitter and we can continue to monitor his progress," said the City chief.

Of former Stoke striker Crowe, who bagged 15 goals for Luton in his first season with Hatters, Brass said: "He will fit into how we are playing.

"He is very strong and holds the ball up well and has a lot of pace.

"He is positive and gives us competition for places, which we need.

"He knows what this division is all about having had promotion out of this division with Luton. He hasn't trained with us but he has fitted in well. He is here for a month and we will see how it goes."

Brass admitted strengthening his attacking options had been a priority.

Player coach Lee Nogan is still struggling to shake off a virus while last season's top scorer Jon Parkin is a couple of weeks away from a first team return.

The Evening Press can also reveal teenage striker Levent Yalcin has suffered a set-back as he works his way back to full fitness.

The Turkish youth international has been sidelined since the turn of the year because of a groin problem but featured as a substitute for the reserves against Hartlepool earlier this month.

A call-up to the senior squad looked imminent but the third-year youth trainee was a notable absentee from the reserve team ranks at Meadow Lane.

Said Brass: "He has got a slight abductor strain and unfortunately Lev is going to get one or two niggly injuries around that area.

"That will happen, he will break down with one or two niggles because he has been out for some time.

"It's frustrating because I thought he would be pushing for a place in the first team at this stage, but we just have to be patient.

"It's nothing like as serious as the injury he had before. It is more a case of aches and pains around the injury. "

York City youngsters' ill-starred start to the Youth Alliance North-east Conference plummed a new low when they were leathered 6-1 at Lincoln City. Though the hosts were a little older and followed their senior side's game-plan of lumping the ball, the York ranks put up a meek performance in which the lone consolation was a headed goal from Gary Anderson.

Updated: 11:30 Monday, September 29, 2003