YORK City’s post-isolation return to league action will not be delayed by Chester’s involvement in the FA Cup following the Seals’ shock defeat to Marine on Saturday.

Following news last week of a confirmed Covid-19 case at City, first-team and youth-team players and staff entered a period of self-isolation until November 1.

The two games during this period - Saturday’s scheduled trip to Hereford and the October 31 visit of Kettering Town - will be rearranged.

York’s first league game out of isolation was therefore slated to be a November 7 meeting at Bootham Crescent with Chester.

However, with November 7 also the date for the FA Cup first round proper, and Chester at home to lower-league Marine in the fourth qualifying round, there was every chance York would have another week out of action.

But James Barrigan’s 81st-minute penalty put paid to any expectations the Step 2 favourites would see off their Step 4 visitors.

The 1-0 win for Marine means that York - barring any other unforeseen hurdles - will be able to return to action at the earliest possible opportunity.

In the corresponding fixture last season, current club caption Sean Newton opened the scoring to set then second-placed York on their way to an excellent 4-2 victory over third-placed Chester.

On their enforced blank weekend in National League North, York dropped to ninth with Southport, Boston United and Kidderminster Harriers all winning.

Table-toppers Gloucester City missed out on the opportunity to add to their points tally as their game at Gateshead was called off late Thursday evening because of a Covid-19 case at the Heed.

In League Two, Harrogate Town dropped to sixth with a 2-1 loss at Colchester United.