YORK City assistant manager Neil Cox confirmed that there will be no fresh faces for Saturday’s late kick-off with FC Halifax Town, but did provide positive updates on David Stockdale and Michael Duckworth.

Stockdale and Duckworth faced lengthy spells on the sidelines after sustaining long-term injuries, with York’s injury concerns growing larger.

Dipo Akinyemi and Dan Batty aren’t expected to be back available for City for Saturday’s Yorkshire derby with FC Halifax Town at the LNER Community Stadium (5.30pm), whilst Thierry Latty-Fairweather is back in training to help deal with Neal Ardley’s left-back issues.

“At the moment there is nobody fresh coming in,” Cox confirmed to BBC Radio York.

“Batty is back in the building after being ill but will probably still be missing for the weekend.

“Dipo will probably go into the gym this morning and we will have a look at him tomorrow.

“The rest are still long-term injuries and won’t be back for this weekend which is disappointing, we’ll have to just get through this weekend.

“We’ve got a bare squad and need to get ready for the FA Cup, next week is a big week to get people back on the training pitch and to work on fitness.

“Thierry is coming back into to do some training but he looks like he has been ill and he has a hamstring injury, so he’s a bit behind but he’s back in training.

“With Ducky we obviously haven’t seen any of him, he’s been injured since we came in but he’s back on the training ground and will start full training next week which is really good.

“He’s a fresh face and is really good to have around the place, so we’re looking forward to working with him.

“The rest of them are a little bit far off and haven’t done anything, they’re in the gym so we don’t see a lot of them because we’re on the training ground.

“The physio is working hard but he’s got 10 or 11 players that he needs to get fit, and with all of the games coming up and everything he is taking his time.

“David Stockdale is on the grass, he’s doing a little bit of work.

“He’s also talking to the goalkeepers with Joe (Stead, goalkeeping coach) and they’re staying positive.

“He’s got a lot of experience which is what we need around the place, people see him coming back and as staff, it’s good for the players as well.

“Their confidence levels have got to be good because they’re the goalkeepers, they’re under a lot of pressure.

“If the goalkeepers make mistakes then they’re going to get punished, that’s what happens really.

“They’ve both worked hard today and we’ll see which way the manager wants to go.”

Cox also confirmed that Ardley is making progress on improving the gym, but that the congested fixture list is making life hard for City.

“If you look at our injury list we’ve got a few, they’re struggling and cannot cope with the games because of a lack of fitness.

“We’re trying to get the gym sorted out and the manager is progressing everything that way really, really well.

“Some of the boys are really struggling with their fitness so we need to chop and change, but at the moment we can’t because we’ve got a bare squad and a lot of injuries.

“The boys keep putting their shin pads on and getting back out there.”