MANAGER Steve Watson is determined that his York City side can learn from defeat at Ashton United as they enter a “season-defining” period.

On Saturday, York travel to Bradford Park Avenue for their first game since December 15, when lower-league Ashton fought back from two goals down to dump City out of the FA Trophy on penalties.

Those 10 days have been the longest break City are scheduled to see until the end of the season. Between today and January 30, the Minstermen face 11 fixtures.

After today’s National League North trip to the Horsfall Stadium (3pm), York host Guiseley on Monday (3pm) and then meet Bradford at Bootham Crescent on January 2, whereupon they commence four weeks of a Tuesday-Saturday schedule.

Speaking about the Trophy game at Ashton, Watson said: “The main thing about it was that we were desperately trying to succeed in the cup. It was a big deal to us - it’s a chance to take a team to Wembley. That’s a dream as a manager.

“Bitterly disappointing.

“All we can do is make sure we learn our lessons from it. In no way, shape or form did we want that to happen, but if that can give us a kick going into this six-week spell, which is season-defining really, hopefully that can be a catalyst for a fantastic run for us.

“I think the lads know mistakes were made with and without the ball. We didn’t manage the game very well.

“We’ve got a good mix of youth and experience and I think the lads will respond to that. That’s why I put this squad together, to try and get promoted. Nothing has changed in that respect.

“I just think we made match decisions on the night that were unlike us and I think we’ll learn from that, definitely.”

Chief among the material benefits from City’s weekend off is the gradual return of players from injury.

Long-term doubts Michael Duckworth and Josh King could both be on the cusp of a return to action. Scott Barrow, who has missed the last two matches with a knock, is “fine”, Watson reports, has been in training for a week and “will come back in the thought process for the Boxing Day game”.

Watson has warned, though, against throwing players back into the mix too early.

The biggest concern at the minute is Owen Gamble, who limped off at Ashton with what appears to have been a bad hamstring injury.

Watson said: “We’ve only had Owen Gamble missing from training (on Thursday). In that respect, the time between the games has helped the injuries.

“Michael Duckworth and Josh King are closer to being involved on Boxing Day and, if not Boxing Day, on the 28th.

“Desperately unlucky, Owen’s been. He’s come off the back of a calf injury, then first game back pulled his hamstring pretty badly.

“We could be looking at a similar amount of time as Michael Duckworth. He’s going to be out of action, I would suggest, until the middle of January.

“The way it happened with Owen, we wanted him straight back in. The game against Southport, I thought, was one of the best performances of the season.

“But we have to couple that with not rushing people back.

“As tempting as it is to play people like Michael - who’s trained with us for over a week, but he’s no match fitness really - in the back of your mind is not rushing people back.

“It’s a happy medium we need to find.”