KIDDERMINSTER Harriers top-scorer Ed Williams could start his first match since Boxing Day when York City visit Worcestershire tomorrow.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder attracted interest from Championship quartet Aston Villa, Derby, Leeds and Ipswich in the autumn after plundering 11 goals by October 20, including a brace in the Harriers’ 3-0 victory at Bootham Crescent during the second month of the campaign.

Williams’ season has subsequently been curtailed over the last two months due to an ankle injury and illness, but he returned with his 12th goal of the season during last weekend’s 4-1 home win over Chester when he entered the action as a 71st-minute substitute.

The ex-Cheltenham Town playmaker is now in line for a return to the first XI during the second game of Mark Yates’ second stint at the Aggborough helm.

Yates, whose last spell saw him in charge from 2006 to 2009 in the Conference before he left for Cheltenham, is back at the club following chairman Colin Gordon’s brief four-match period in control of first-team affairs.

Ex-Swindon and Birmingham City forward Gordon had intended to continue as manager, with the assistance of former Minsterman Russ Penn and centre-back Jimmy Connor, until the end of the season after Neil MacFarlane’s departure following a run of just two wins in ten matches.

But a haul of three points from a possible 12 caused a rethink, with Yates, who has managed Cheltenham, Crawley, Solihull Moors and Macclesfield since first cutting his teeth with Kiddy, hailed back.

Penn, meanwhile, is doubtful for the clash against the team he left in November, having failed to feature in the Chester match after picking up a first-half injury in the previous game – a 1-0 loss to Alfreton.

He has made 13 appearances, including two off the bench, following his move from the Minstermen.

But two former Bootham Crescent attackers, who are the club’s joint-second top scorers this term with eight goals apiece, are set to feature against their old team in Ashley Chambers and Joe Ironside.

Former double-Wembley winning hero Chambers has not hit the target in the Harriers’ last ten contests since bagging a brace in a 2-0 triumph over Brackley on December 8.

Ironside, who has plundered more than 20 goals in each of his last two seasons at National League North level, has netted twice since returning to the Harriers in January having failed to make the scoresheet during ten outings with the Minstermen during a two-month loan spell.

Having been deemed surplus to requirements at Aggborough, he is now back in favour and has started the last five matches.

Fellow forward Kane Richards, meanwhile, is set to be named on the bench after serving a three-match ban, while Billy Daniels (knee) and Josh Heaton (hamstring) could feature after recent injuries.

But O’Connor and keeper Tom Palmer will be ruled out due to quad complaints and midfielder James Baxendale has left the club following a loan spell at Nuneaton.

The Harriers entertain City having conceded 25 goals at home, with only bottom-three Ashton United (28), FC United of Manchester (31) and Nuneaton (37) having shipped more times on their own soil.