York City are to receive a handy cash tonic after their first home game of the coming season was selected for live television coverage.

Broadcasters Sky TV will show the Minstermen's match against Hereford United live on Monday, August 23, kick off 8pm. The game, Bootham Crescent's first-ever Conference clash, has been put back from Saturday, August 21.

City will be paid £5,000 by Sky, with visitors Hereford receiving £3,000 under the satellite station's new football deal.

City communications director Sophie McGill hailed the broadcast of the club's first home game in their new league surrounings.

She told the Evening Press: "This is fantastic news for the club and has given everyone a real boost.

"We would like to thank Sky Sports for giving us this opportunity and we hope it will be an exciting game.

"This televised fixture will help to raise the profile of York City and will hopefully encourage more people in the area to come to Bootham Crescent."

City finance director Terry Doyle was equally enthusiastic.

He said: "This is a great help to the club financially and the £5,000 will help boost the coffers at the start of the season.

"The televised game will be exciting for the team and also our supporters and I hope we can put on a great display."

The encounter will see City, relegated from the old Division Three last year, take on a side who reached the Conference play-off semi-finals.

The Minstermen will also need to overcome a minor hoodoo - it will be the fourth time they have hosted a live Sky match, but so far they have yet to win one.

The first occasion was a Saturday night FA Cup second round tie against Tranmere, in December 1992, a game which ended 1-1 thanks to a Wayne Hall humdinger, with Rovers winning the replay 2-1 at Prenton Park.

The second was also an FA Cup tie, a first round game at home to Notts County on Sunday, November 12, 1995. City lost 1-0.

The latest occasion was a Division Three match at home to promotion-chasing Hartlepool on Sunday, February 15, 2003, which ended goalless.

Meanwhile, departed York City goalkeeper Mark Ovendale is set for a trial with League Two outfit Swansea City.

Ovendale was the Minstermen's number one throughout last season but was let go at the end of the relegation campaign due to cost-cutting measures.

The Swans are in need of a goalkeeper after releasing the ageing Roger Freestone and failing to prise Stoke's Neil Cutler or Cardiff's Martyn Margetson to Vetch Field, leaving youngster Brian Murphy as their only option.

Boss Kenny Jackett is now set to look at Ovendale and Millwall reserve Willy Gueret.

Updated: 10:35 Tuesday, July 06, 2004