FULL-BACK Ben Purkiss’ stomach strain will not be risked should York City’s FA Trophy tie at Oxford go ahead tomorrow.

On-loan signing Kyle Critchell will replace Purkiss at right-back for the second round clash, which is subject to a 3pm pitch inspection this afternoon.

Should the game survive the freeze, Steven Hogg and Mark Greaves are expected to recover from minor problems, but Simon Rusk will serve a one-game ban, while Adam Smith, who would have been ineligible anyway, has returned to Gainsborough Trinity after the end of his loan spell.

City boss Martin Foyle believes Purkiss could be fit, however, by Tuesday night if City need to play a rearranged game at the Kassam Stadium, a replay at KitKat Crescent or their scheduled Setanta Shield tie to Barrow.

As well as being right-back rivals, Foyle also added that Purkiss and Wrexham utility man Critchell could easily be paired together on the same flank.

The City chief said: “Ben is a little better, but we will leave him over the weekend as we feel that’s the right thing to do after ten days with the injury.

“We will be looking at Tuesday instead and, if he’s fit then, great. If not, we will have to wait until next Saturday.

“Critch can come in at right-back but they could certainly play together.

“Ben could play in front of Kyle, which gives us food for thought and something to look at on the training pitch.”

Should City overcome Oxford in the Trophy, it would lead to further fixture disruption with the January 31 home match against Stevenage needing to be rearranged.

But Foyle is still looking to progress as far as possible in the competition while appreciating the impact cup success can have on league campaigns with the Minstermen currently embroiled in a relegation dogfight.

He said: “I want to win every game – that was born in me. The amount of matches you have to play at this level can take its toll but, when you look at the table, we’ve played more in the league than most so it’s not that bad and we’re not in a position to moan.”

Having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 league matches, Foyle is also challenging his side to shut out an Oxford team who have won eight and drawn two of their previous ten home fixtures.

He said: “We will be aiming to keep them quiet for the first 20 minutes and need to go back to keeping clean sheets.”

* City’s postponed North Riding Cup quarter-final at Stokesley has been rearranged for February 4, kick-off 7.30pm.