PLAY-OFF challengers Rushden and Diamonds will be looking for their first win in four matches when York City arrive at Nene Park tomorrow.

The Diamonds drew 1-1 at Fleetwood last weekend after suffering back-to-back 1-0 defeats to FA Cup opponents Yeovil and fellow top-five candidates Kidderminster.

Prior to that run, however, Justin Edinburgh’s men had won five successive matches and are likely to return to tried-and-trusted measures to take maximum points against the Minstermen.

Having started with a 4-4-2 line up at Fleetwood, ex-Tottenham full-back Edinburgh reverted to his favoured 4-3-3 formation early in the second half and saw striker Aaron O’Connor secure a point for his team.

Former Luton Town striker Ryan Charles climbed off the bench to facilitate that change and is expected to start tomorrow’s match in place of Joe Keehan, who made way for him last weekend.

Charles is likely to operate down the right for Rushden with O’Connor playing through the middle and seven-goal top scorer Rene Howe, recruited on loan from Peterborough, joining them in attack on the opposite flank.

Ex-City striker Craig Farrell is expected to make do with a place on the bench again against his old team, having only managed eight appearances in an injury-interrupted campaign.

Farrell last started a game in September and has not found the net for almost eight months – a run that includes 13 matches.

At the other end of the pitch, former Crystal Palace trainee Joe Day is still being preferred to Dale Roberts in goal despite the latter recovering from an injury he picked up on England ‘C’ duty.

Rushden will also continue to be without the services of Shane Huke, Neil Cousins and Sam Smith.

Last season’s play-off semi-finalists have won their last three home games in the league but are taking nothing for granted according to assistant-manager Paul Driver.

He said: “They have a new manager in there and he is going to be bringing his own ideas into it. They will also be coming off the back of a very good result in the FA Cup so it’s going to be tough.”

Team (probable): Joe Day; Osano, Corcoran, Stuart, Jamie Day; Johnson, Porter, Power; Charles, O’Connor, Howe.


Match facts

YORK City lost on their two Football League trips to Nene Park, but in four Conference visits they have won twice and drawn once.

In 2006/7, Clayton Donaldson scored in a 1-0 success and in the following campaign Richard Brodie was the marksman in a 1-1 draw.

In 2008/9, Rushden triumphed 2-0, while City won the corresponding fixture last term thanks to a Brodie header. The line-up on December 1, 2009, was: Ingham, Parslow, McGurk, Graham, Meredith, Lawless (Ferrell), Mackin (Smith), Barrett, Carruthers, Rankine (Gash), Brodie.

That game marked City’s seventh successive league and cup win and they were third in the Blue Square Premier.

It happened on November 20

1948: In front of a then record league crowd at Bootham Crescent – 19,216 – City thrashed Northern Section leaders Rotherham United 6-1 with Alf Patrick hitting five goals. Harold Brigham was the other scorer from the penalty spot and City were fifth in the table.

1954: City started their famous FA Cup run to the semi-finals when they beat Scarborough 3-2 at home in the first round in front of 10,155. The scorers were Norman Wilkinson, Arthur Bottom and Ron Spence.

1993: Steve Bushell scored in a 1-1 home draw against Barnet watched by 2,966. It was the seventh successive league game without a win and City had slipped into the bottom half of Division Two (League One).

Compiled by David Batters