YORK City boss Chris Brass is calling on his players to rise to the occasion as they prepare to play in front of their biggest crowd of the season.

August's 1-0 victory at Huddersfield's McAlpine Stadium was watched by 9,850 fans but table-toppers Hull City are hoping for a crowd of more than 20,000 - including close on 1,200 York fans - at the KC Stadium as the home side aim for their seventh successive victory.

But the Minstermen are also looking for a good performance to mark this week's news that the club have reached a long-term solution to stay at Bootham Crescent.

Brass said: "It's a big game and the fans can go across there relieved and you can't get a better place for a great day out. It's a derby and, apparently, it will almost be a full house.

"You want to play in front of big crowds like that every week.

"They are top of the league and deservedly so because they have got a decent squad but we have to go there and continue proving people wrong.

"If you can't go to places like Hull and look forward to it then you should not be in the game and anybody can beat anybody on their day in this division. If we play to our potential we will get something out of it."

The match will be City's first in ten days after the postponement of Saturday's home match against Lincoln and Brass was also disappointed that this week's reserve game with Grimsby at Bootham Crescent also fell foul of the wet weather with Leigh Wood due to return after a shoulder operation.

City's player-boss said: "Leigh is ready to play now which is good news because at the start of the season he was a good addition to the squad and somebody who showed real promise.

"Everybody else is fit except for Liam George is still struggling with shin splints."

Brass also admitted that he has not given up on his search for a new forward, saying: "We are always looking to bring people in and the priority is definitely a striker.

"The good news we have had will probably give me the opportunity to do it maybe early next week if it's somebody who can make a difference and we are not just doing it for the sake of it."

Updated: 11:11 Friday, February 06, 2004