York City will have a huge financial incentive to overcome the FA Cup challenge of Colchester United tonight at Bootham Crescent (7.45pm kick-off).

Following the publication of figures showing the club are heavily in the red, the £20,000 up for grabs for the winners of the first round replay will be a much-needed windfall for the Minstermen.

On Saturday, City announced record losses of £1,261,038 for the year ending June 2001 - with the club losing around £24,000 a week during that period.

However, the knock-on effect of a victory tonight would then see City, who drew 0-0 with Colchester at Layer Road, take on Reading in the second round at Bootham Crescent - a tie which will see the club generate much-needed cash from the gate receipts as well as money from television and radio.

If City were to then overcome Reading on December 8 and draw a Premiership big gun then the financial rewards would life-saving - with a live televised match guaranteed to earn the club £265,000, with other extras to add on.

However, that is a long way down the line for the Minstermen, with boss Terry Dolan only looking at one game at a time.

Victory over Colchester though would set City on course to repeat history - having beaten Reading at the same stage last season on their way to facing Leicester City in round three.

And skipper Chris Brass believes there is no pressure on York as they look to play the role of the FA Cup underdogs yet again.

"We've got nothing to lose," he said. "No-one expects us to go on and win the FA Cup, but it would be nice for us, and rewarding for the club, to go on a run in the competition.

"It is always nice to get a run going in the cup and create a bit of interest for the club nation-wide."

York may have upset the odds by holding Colchester to a draw on their own patch, but Brass, who has reached the fourth round with Burnley before, is expecting his side to go one better tonight.

"We went with a game plan to Colchester and it paid off for us, but we have only done half the job," he said. "We will probably have to take the game to them a little bit more as we are at home - and this will probably suit them - but we've really nothing to lose."

Brass could be partnered in the centre of midfield by Lee Bullock after the combative midfielder missed the Mansfield trip with a groin strain with Nick Richardson likely to continue in that role if he fails to recover.

On-loan Sunderland defender Mark Maley could also be back in contention for a place following his one-match suspension.

However, with Gary Hobson still recovering from a medial knee ligament injury and Mike Basham still lacking match fitness, Chris Smith and Matt Hocking, who impressed in the draw at Mansfield, are set to continue in the centre of defence.

* The Leeds United Reserves clash with Manchester United at Bootham Crescent has been provisional rearranged for April 25.

The match was due to take place on Thursday night, but Leeds have been forced to postpone due to their involvement in the Worthington Cup and the FA Youth Cup.

Tonight's probable line-ups

York City: Fettis, Edmondson, Smith, Hocking, Stamp, Cooper, Brass, Richardson/Bullock, Potter, Nogan. Proctor. Subs, Howarth, Mathie, Basham, Richardson/Wood, Maley/Darlow.

Colchester: Woodman, Keith, Duguid, R Johnson, Fitzgerald, G Johnson, Bowry, Stockwell, McGleish, Rapley. Subs, Brown, White, Allman, Morgan, Clark/Blackwell.

Updated: 09:13 Tuesday, November 27, 2001