FORMER York City and Scarborough striker Chris Tate may have to settle for a cameo performance when Leyton Orient arrive at Bootham Crescent tomorrow.

The former City junior scored for Orient in their play-off final defeat to Blackpool at the Millennium Stadium last season but has still to convince boss Tommy Taylor of his worth.

Taylor has made it known his favoured front-line combination sees the experienced Steve Watts paired with Jabo Inehre, a product of the youth ranks at Brisbane Road.

Joining Tate on the bench will be winger Phil Hadland, who turned down a move to Bootham Crescent last summer and joined Orient from Rochdale back in June.

Despite two draws from their opening two League games, Taylor believes his side will be promotion contenders this season after watching them threaten to cause a Worthington Cup upset against First Division Crystal Palace on Tuesday.

The Os led twice in a six-goal thriller and hit the woodwork three times before late goals from Clinton Morrison and Thomas Black saw Palace through.

"For 70 minutes I was really excited by the way we played," said an upbeat Taylor.

"It could have gone either way - but if we can continue to perform like that for the rest of the season in division three we have got a great chance of going up."

York City intermediates play their first home game of the Football league Youth Alliance North East Conference season when they entertain Scunthorpe United (11am). City won their opening game 1-0 at Scarborough.

Updated: 11:13 Friday, August 24, 2001