Minstermen need some home comfort

New manager Nigel Worthington's first home game in charge of York City finds him already cast in an increasingly pressurised situation. A third defeat this season to bottom club AFC Wimbledon at the weekend means even more tension is guaranteed for their loyal followers over the remaining nine games of the campaign. As a result, the misfiring Minstermen must seriously begin to turn around their woeful home form, starting against Rochdale tonight and followed by title-hopefuls Port Vale on Saturday. Those two games actually precede four successive meetings with clubs also deep in the relegation mire, with trips to Torquay United and a rapidly improving Bristol Rovers the forerunners to key visits to Bootham Crescent from the current bottom two in the table, Plymouth Argyle and Accrington Stanley. But while York are decidedly susceptible at home and without a victory in any of their last twelve games anywhere, Rochdale are currently labouring on their travels and similarly winless since the turn of the year. However, their 4-1 weekend romp against an increasingly erratic Wycombe Wanderers side will certainly have renewed spirits for a club who are likely to remain clear of danger under their recently returned manager Keith Hill - but one who were earlier in the season regularly challenging around the top seven. The Minstermen actually assisted in fuelling their steady decline back in early December with a 3-2 victory in Greater Manchester, at a time when Dale were themselves enduring a decidedly rocky spell in front of their own supporters. A repeat of that kind of result this evening would certainly begin to restore smiles to the faces of their increasingly anxious white-rose counterparts.

"Winning at home is about confidence. I've been here a week and the players seem to be confident to me," manager Nigel Worthington told BBC Radio York. "I've always found it a pleasure playing in front of home supporters because they get behind you but you have got to be mentally strong. We've got to go for the win and we will do that but at the same time we need to keep the back door shut. We need to not worry about the opposition, start brightly and keep the game nice and tight."

Full-back Lanre Oyebanjo is again likely to miss out with a calf injury while centre-back David McGurk appears more likely to be an option for the weekend. But striker Jamie Reed is in the squad after returning from a recent loan spell at Cambridge United. Manager Nigel Worthington has already indicated he could decide on an additional forward with both Jason Walker and Alex Rodman pressing for a recall.
York City (possible): Ingham, Parslow, Smith, O'Connell, Fyfield, Kerr, McGrath, Blair, Walker, Rankine, Chambers
subs (from): Jameson, Doig, Bullock, Potts, McLaughlin, McDaid, Rodman, Reed

Always capaable of offering York something different but must do it on a more regular basis.

Striker George Donnelly is pushing hard for inclusion after scoring twice as a substitute against Wycombe at the weekend. Skipper Peter Cavanagh is similarly in contention having recovered from a calf injury.
Rochdale (probable): Lillis, Bennett, Edwards, Cansdell-Sherriff, McIntyre, Tutte, Thompson, Kennedy, Donnelly, Grant, Henderson

On loan from Scunthorpe United and scorer of fifteen goals this season.

Rochdale are York's most regular visitors in the Football League while winning sixteen and drawing eleven of fifty previous encounters. The last occasion was in September 2003 as the visitors prevailed 2-1 at Bootham Crescent, with Aron Wilford the City goalscorer in the following line-up: Ovendale, Downes (Cooper), Wise, Brass, Hope, Merris, Ward (Brackstone), Dunning, Bullock, Nogan, George (Wilford)

D. Drysdale (Lincolnshire)

York - Port Vale (H); Rochdale - Bristol Rovers (A)

* YORK CITY FC * PLAY-OFF WINNERS 2012 * FA TROPHY WINNERS 2012 * YORK CITY FC * PLAY-OFF WINNERS 2012 * FA TROPHY WINNERS 2012 * YORK CITY FC * PLAY-OFF WINNERS 2012 * FA TROPHY WINNERS 2012 * YORK CITY FC * PLAY-OFF WINNERS 2012 * FA TROPHY WINNERS 2012 *

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