Two-goal hero Andy Tod will continue to spearhead the City attack as Ashley Ward's injury problems go on.

Versatile Tod, the centre-half who also plays centre-forward, scored two headers in last night's 3-3 cracker with Wimbledon at Valley Parade.

And the big Scot, who has another three weeks on his loan with the club, will stay up front while Ward's ankle shows no sign of mending.

Ward has been plagued by the injury since taking a hefty whack during the Burnley game on September 2. And City are keeping their fingers crossed it will not need operating on.

Boss Jim Jefferies said: "He has had a specialist look at it who says that Ashley has been trying too hard to get himself fit for games and therefore it hasn't really been given the time to heal properly.

"We've been told to forget Ashley for a couple of weeks and don't push him towards coming back. We may have to be without him for a few games while we wait and see if it clears up."

But stand-in Tod performed heroics in another breathless encounter - watched by a season's best home crowd of 18,255 - which now takes the goals tally at City home games to a staggering 45 from nine outings. City dragged themselves off the canvas from 3-1 down with two goals in the final 15 minutes and could have pinched it.

Jefferies said: "Andy has done a terrific job for us filling in as a makeshift centre-forward. That's six goals he's got for us now and I thought he was superb.

"I also thought Matt Etherington came alive in the last half-hour and showed real tenacity. He finds the pace very quick at this level because he's been playing for the reserves at Tottenham. But I thought he was better than Saturday."

Etherington is in the England Under-20 squad for the match against Portugal at Southampton on Wednesday, November 21

There was better news for centre-half David Wetherall who suffered a knock in training. He was left out last night as a precaution but will be fit to return against Crewe on Friday.