YORK City chief Terry Dolan has axed last season's player of the year Barry Jones for tonight's visit of goal grabbers Mansfield Town.

The sometime City skipper has been dropped to the bench following the midweek arrival of winger Kieron Durkan from Macclesfield on a month's loan.

With Durkan coming straight into midfield, Darren Edmondson will revert back to his more favoured right back spot leaving no place for the former Wrexham defender.

Graham Potter also comes in on the left of midfield as Dolan returns to a 4-4-2 formation after injuries had forced him to adopt a 3-5-2 system for recent games.

Teenage starlet Lee Bullock is favoured for the central midfield role alongside Steve Agnew with Scott Jordan also dropped to the bench.

With Russ Howarth away on England duty the only other change sees goalkeeping legend and City shot-stopper coach Neville Southall named among the substitutes.

Dolan said he had explained his decision to Jones, who may make a swift return to the starting line-up with both Edmondson and Mark Sertori serving suspensions after tonight's encounter.

The City boss said: "With Graham fit again now we can revert back to the formation we used when we had some decent results.

"I have had a chat with Barry and to be fair he hasn't looked as sharp as he did at the back end of last season.

"He has been in the team for the last two or three games because we have been playing with three at the back and he has played at right back because we have played Darren wide right.

"Bringing Kieron in now means Darren can revert to his best position, albeit for just one game because he is suspended after tonight, but we just feel it is the right decision."

Explaining his thinking behind retaining the services of Bullock ahead of Jordan, Dolan said: "Lee has extra height which gives us a bit more when the ball goes into the box."

With striker Alex Mathie set to make his home debut alongside debutant Durkan, Dolan admitted he was anxious that City brought their four match losing streak to a swift conclusion tonight.

"When you have lost four on the trot you don't want that run to continue," he said.

In a boost for City, midfield marvel Christian Fox is edging ever closer to a first team return, as is defender Gary Hobson

"Christian has had his first full week training this week but we aren't going to let him make the same mistake he did last time in coming back to quickly," revealed the City boss.

"I was hoping Gary might be on the bench but we are not going to risk him because both we will have both Darren and Mark Sertori out next week."

Dolan will not be offering a contract to Dutch trialist Theo Gunnissen - for the time being at least.

The midfielder has been training with the Minstermen this week and scored for the reserves on Tuesday.

"We can't make a judgement in a week," said the City manager. "He was over here anyway so it wasn't a problem.

"He is a postman but if he can get anymore time off we will have another look at him. He was certainly enthusiastic."