Almost six weeks into his Bootham Crescent reign, manager Martin Gray takes York City to lower mid-table Alfreton Town this weekend.
However, the sixth-placed visitors will fully recognise that a seventh defeat of the season would be sufficient to move their latest opponents within a couple points of them in the division – and with still a game in hand.
Following particularly disappointing successive 3-2 reversals to both Tamworth and Salford City, plus a couple of late points carelessly thrown away in a 2-2 draw at Leamington, York achieved an important 2-1 triumph over Curzon Ashton last time out.
Manager Gray went on to describe the opening forty-five minutes of that display as the “best performance over the five games I’ve had in charge.”
Meanwhile, Alfreton were simultaneously experiencing late heartache when conceding a stoppage-time winner at new leaders Salford, having previously also gone down 2-1 while hosting second-placed Harrogate Town.
Prior to that the Reds’ 3-2 success at Tamworth marked their only victory in the last six games, with also recent defeats to Chorley (H 0-2), Stourbridge (FA Cup; A 1-3) and Spennymoor Town (A 1-2).
“I think the [Curzon Ashton] performance first-half was our best performance over the five games I’ve had in charge,” manager Martin Gray told BBC Radio York. “We need to get some consistency now.
“We’ve got a massive game this weekend at Alfreton,” he continued. “They lost 1-0 to Salford in the 93rd minute, so it won’t be an easy game. But we’ve got to back that up now.
“They’ve strengthened their squad since last time I came across them and it won’t be an easy fixture. They’ve got a good playing surface but we know what they’re all about.”
Alfreton currently include three former York players within their ranks in defender Tom Allen, midfielder Tom Platt and winger Adam Smith.
Alfreton Town (possible): Elliott, Topliss, Shiels, Allan, Wood, Platt, Disley, Everington, Daniels, Shariff, Robertson
subs: Marshall, Johnson, Westcarr, Hinchley, Priestley
Very good midfielder at this level who was previously with Grimsby Town.
Goalkeeper Adam Bartlett is set for an immediate debut having arrived from Darlington during the week. Midfielder Adriano Moke has recovered from a recent knock and should therefore continue, with the previously suspended David Ferguson also returned from midweek England ‘C’ international duty. However, striker Louis Almond [shoulder] is currently ruled out, while the now fully-signed James Gray is again likely to be amongst the substitutes.
York City (probable): Bartlett, Law, Parslow, Bencherif, Whittle, Moke, Rowe, Newton, Connolly, Parkin, Martin
subs (from): Ferguson, Wharton, Morgan-Smith, Gray, Sukar, Simpson
York have made a single previous visit, winning by a 2-0 scoreline in April 2012. Matty Blair and Lanre Oyebanjo were both on target after Jamie Reed had missed an early second-half penalty. Team: Ingham, Oyebanjo, Smith (Fyfield), Doig, Meredith, Parslow, Moke, McLaughlin, Blair, Reed (Blinkhorn), Pilkington (Challinor)
Link: Red Redwind – City triumph despite penalty miss
Alfreton – FC United of Manchester (A); York – Kidderminster (H)
Weekend Games: Alfreton v York City; Blyth v Leamington; Boston v Stockport; Brackley v Gainsborough; Chorley v Nuneaton; Curzon Ashton v Southport; FC United of Manchester v AFC Telford; Kidderminster v Darlington; North Ferriby v Bradford PA; Spennymoor v Harrogate; Tamworth v Salford