STEVE WATSON has said York City will need to start looking at how to play without Scott Barrow after the left-back suffered a worrying Achilles injury.

Barrow went down unchallenged against Middlesbrough in the Tuesday before last clutching his right leg.

He did not play at Ossett United in midweek, and Watson suspects he will miss Saturday's game at Notts County (3pm), as well as the start of the National League North season.

The 32-year-old is not the first York player to miss a pre-season game but - of Barrow, Josh King, Sean Newton and Jason Gilchrist - his injury has raised the greatest consternation.

Meanwhile, the manager has also said he does not expect to sign many more players for next season.

There were three more trialists on show at Ingfield on Tuesday, on top of the two who were signed up the weekend before.

“I don’t think we’ll be bringing many more in," Watson said of anticipated recruits.

"The budget we’ve been given is pretty much at an end. If we can keep everybody fit, I’m delighted with what we’ve got.

“I’m disappointed, as any manager would be, that we’ve picked up a couple of injuries.

“Hopefully Sean, Matty Brown and Gilchrist aren’t that bad but we’re pretty concerned about Scotty Barrow’s Achilles injury.

“I think, if you look over the spell of pre-season, the two full-backs have been outstanding.

“They’ve really cottoned on to what we’re trying to do with a new system.

“They have been a huge threat - I think Scotty’s had three assists.

“It’s a big blow. We don’t know how long it’s going to be but it certainly won’t be the start of the season.

“We need to have a look at playing without Scotty now.

“But we haven’t got all the info yet so we might get lucky.”