YORK City boss Steve Watson is looking forward to having more competition for places, the manager said ahead of tomorrow night's trip to Boston United.

The Minstermen have been struggling with injuries throughout the season, particularly in defence, and have had to plug gaps by stretching their trimmed-down squad.

Midfielders Akil Wright, Paddy McLaughlin, Olly Dyson and Sam Fielding have all pitched in across the back line since the start of the season, and look likely to keep on doing so.

It is a positive that City have players who can fill these gaps, and Watson also sees potential for people being pushed for places.

"You'd like to have people in their preferred position," he said. "But what this does is let you know that people have other strings to their bow and you can call on people for different things.

"It should make for massive competition for places.

"Just because Sean, Michael Duckworth and Scotty Barrow are coming back, if Akil's enjoying where he's playing, he's playing the way he is and we're winning games - it's the same as strikers. If you're scoring the goals, you stay in the team.

"That's the key. Forget personnel, it's competition for places we need and too many times this season, we've had so few senior outfield players, players have pretty much known they were going to play week in, week out.

"We want to get ourselves in a situation where we've got options and hopefully they'll be coming back slowly but surely."

City took a step forward on Saturday against Chester, when Sean Newton was named on the bench - before receiving another blow as Michael Duckworth suffered a hamstring injury late on.

Fielding should return to the side for Tuesday's (7.45pm) National League North game at Boston.

It is, though, a case of one in, one out for York, who could be without Duckworth "for a fair amount of time" Watson said.

The injury was a tangible blight on Saturday's 1-0 win, which lifted York up to seventh - ahead of Boston - and within two points of fourth place.

In a game where York were not at their best, keeper Pete Jameson was once again among the stand-out performers, making some vital interventions to record his first clean sheet in the league this season.

That he has been playing behind a patchwork defence has pushed Jameson's performances to the fore.

"Where I thought Pete was excellent on Saturday was his handling of the game. I thought it was a good all-round goalkeeping performance," Watson commented.

"His starting positions, sweeping up, dealing with difficult situations was excellent.

"He pulled one off somebody's foot where a lot of keepers would have gone early or wouldn't have had the reach or athleticism to get there. That was as important as any save that looks spectacular.

"We've got Pete and Matty Brown, who's a very good leader, back there.

"Apart from those two, you've got Sam who's a central midfielder and only ever played at under-23 level before he came here.

"You've got Akil, who's a centre midfielder, you've got Olly Dyson who's a right midfielder, Paddy who's a centre midfielder.

"It sounds barmy when you talk about who the defence actually are but what can you do? You're not going to moan about it, you've just got to crack on."

On Boston, Watson added: "They're a good, strong outfit. They've got two good strikers who complement each other well.

"They've got Jordan (Burrow), who we've had here. He's a pleasure to work with, he works his socks off, he's aggressive, he's a great pro.

"Boston are always there or thereabouts.

"Once we get everybody back in, the team that we're going to be able to put out tomorrow night - albeit two or three playing in unusual positions for them - I think is a match for anybody."