York City defender Darren Edmondson completed his first 90 minutes of 2001 and immediately set his sights on a first team recall.

The 29-year-old has been out of the picture since damaging knee ligaments before Christmas last year.

But after featuring for City reserves in their 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United at Bootham Crescent last night Edmondson insists he is ready to join the fight against relegation.

And while the match with the Blades was the first time in more than three months that Edmondson has donned a City shirt, the tough-tackling wing-back is already targeting Saturday's trip to Shrewsbury.

Edmondson said: "It would have been nice to be coming back a bit earlier and the team in a safer position.

"But we have got six games left and hopefully the gaffer will see that I am fit enough now and I can get involved at the weekend.

"Richard (Cooper) has done very well and so it up to the gaffer but I'd like to think I'm pushing for a place in the squad.

"I've got 90 minutes under my belt, if I had only played 60 and look tired then I'd probably not be in with a chance, but I think I've proved I am fit enough."

Despite City's precarious position, Edmondson is desperate to return to the fray and help the club's cause.

"It was disappointing to lose on Saturday to bring the run to an end but we needed that run otherwise we'd have been in trouble. Everyone else has been picking up points," he said.

"As it is, it is still in our hands. We aren't out of it but we have got a bit of confidence, we are passing it a bit better than we were a month and a half ago so it is probably a good time for me to come in."

Edmondson is anxious to make up for lost time after suffering a couple of set-backs along his comeback trial.

A behind closed doors friendly and a reserve game fell foul of the weather in recent weeks, denying Edmondson a chance to prove his fitness earlier.

"I was delighted to get this under my belt," he admitted.

"It didn't look destined to happen but I'm glad it came off, it's just a shame it didn't come a couple of weeks earlier.

"But I've trained for about a month now and got this game under my belt so I'm just about there.

"It has been quite a long time to be out. I'm not sure why it didn't heal a bit quicker.

"When I first came back running with the physio I felt a twinge which put me back three weeks.

"So I probably should have been back a bit earlier. But you can't rush these things, knees are difficult."

In another boost for City manager Terry Dolan, the impressive Mike Basham also completed his first full 90 minutes since signing from Barnet last month.

Buba Yohanna sealed United's win with a 70th minute strike after Lee Thompson's shot had cannoned off the City crossbar.

After good work by Gary Hobson, James Turley went closes for City in the first-half but the striker's shot hit the post.

The defeat dented City's hopes of promotion to the Premier division of the Avon Insurance League, leaving them unchanged in fifth spot in Division One.

Updated: 09:39 Tuesday, April 03, 2001