Simon Rusk

YORK City midfielder Simon Rusk has told his team-mates to beware of the "silly season" ahead of tonight's home meeting with relegation-threatened Northwich.

The last six weeks of any football campaign notoriously throws up shock results and third-bottom Northwich enjoyed a 4-0 victory over Farsley Celtic on Saturday.

Rusk, who joined City from the Cheshire club in January, also feels his old team have become a different proposition since struggling at the start of the Blue Square Premier campaign.

The 26-year-old midfielder is ineligible for tonight's match as part of a gentleman's agreement between the two clubs but he said: "They had a good result at the weekend and have been going well so it will be a tough game.

"They got off to such a bad start this season and were banging their heads against a wall at times. There was a total loss of confidence but there's a lot more youth and pace in the side now.

"I'm sure (Northwich manager) Dino (Maamria) will have their lads fired up for it as well.

"It's silly season now and you get wierd results with teams from the bottom turning over teams from the top but we have players capable of taking care of matters.

"We've got to be on our guard but I know the lads well enough now to be confident they will do a professional job."

Ex-Peterborough and Boston player Rusk also feels the Minstermen must not give up on their play-off hopes while a top-five place remains a mathematical possibility.

He reasoned: "Why shouldn't we keep dreaming? The moment the team turns up and says we can't make the play-offs, there's no ambition at all.

"We won't play well if we think we can't get anywhere. If we keep winning then stranger things have happened.

"If it was to happen that would be great but, if it doesn't, at least we would go into next season on the back of a good run."

Rusk added that he shared manager Colin Walker's view that Saturday's 1-1 draw at Rushden could prove a point gained rather than two lost at the end of the season.

He said: "To go 1-0 up and then concede from a set-piece is always going to be disappointing but it was a good draw, in my opinion, against a strong team who I think will be challenging next season and up there with us."

Rusk also feels he is beginning to find his feet at KitKat Crescent having started the last two matches following a disjointed beginning to his Minstermen career as he missed FA Trophy ties due to being cup-tied.

He has played a part in City's last two goals against Rushden and Forest Green and, speaking about his contribution, said: "I felt I was quiet during my first few games in the middle of the park by my own standards but in the second half against Rushden I was getting a bit closer to the player I want to be at York City.

"I'm in an adjustment period and it was nice to be involved in the goal. It was a fantastic cross by Ben Purkiss though - the kind that would be talked about for weeks if it had happened in the Premier League - and a great header by Richard Brodie."

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