York City will come up against a G-Force tomorrow when high-riding Leyton Orient visit Bootham Crescent, writes Peter Martini.

City's new-look defence, in which Martin Reed will make his first start of the season alongside in-form Matt Hocking, will have to be on their guard as the O's let loose one of Division Three's hottest striking duos.

The so-called G-Force of Carl Griffiths and Richard Garcia have bagged eight goals between them already this season, just two less than the entire Minstermen squad have netted in their 13 league games.

And their strikes have shot Orient to fourth in the table following their 2-0 win over Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday.

Griffiths, 29, a former Wales Under-21 international who scored four Premiership goals in 18 appearances for Manchester City in the mid-1990s, has hit five already this season, while 19-year-old Garcia has netted three.

The latter last week extended his loan spell from Premiership outfit West Ham United into a third month, with O's boss Tommy Taylor keen to keep him at Brisbane Road for the remainder of the season.

Former Tottenham and Peterborough star Scott Houghton could return to the Orient side if, as expected, he shakes off a foot injury, with teenager Nicky Shorey, who has been filling in well at left midfield, the most likely to make way.

The O's may also at some stage give an outing to new signing Frederic Cadiou, a 30-year-old French forward, who joins a growing list of foreign stars at Brisbane Road, with Belgian Wim Walschaerts and Croatian Ahmet Brkovic likely to line up in midfield.

Only long-term injury victims Iyseden Christie (cruciate ligament) and Steve Castle (knee) are definitely ruled out of the O's squad.

York City v Leyton Orient file

Nationwide League Division Three

at Bootham Crescent tomorrow 3pm

York City

Team: Alan Fettis; Darren Edmondson, Martin Reed, Matt Hocking, Neville Stamp; Kieron Durkan, Lee Bullock, Steve Agnew, Graham Potter; Alex Mathie, Neil Tarrant.

Subs (from): Russ Howarth, Barry Conlon, David McNiven, Christian Fox, Barry Jones, Colin Alcide

Injury news: Peter Duffield (broken leg), Peter Swan (knee), Chris Fairclough (calf), Gary Hobson (knee), Kevin Hulme (hamstring), Wayne Hall (thigh)

Suspended: Mark Sertori

Leyton Orient

Probable: Ashley Bayes; Matt Joseph, Dean Smith, Dave McGhee, Matt Lockwood; Ahmet Brkovic, Wim Walschaerts, Andy Harris, Scott Houghton or Nicky Shorey; Carl Griffiths, Richard Garcia.

Subs (from): Frederic Cadiou, Billy Beall, Steve Watts, Scott Barrett, Simon Downer, Nicky Shorey

Injury news: Iyseden Christie (cruciate), Steve Castle (knee)

Suspended: None

Ref: Colin Webster (Shotley Bridge)

Match Facts

The London club won on their first two League visits in the old Second Division in the mid-70s but have failed to do so in their last five trips to York.

City have won four of these encounters including last season when Barry Conlon netted twice in a 2-1 scoreline.

In 1984/5 Dale Banton and Derek Hood netted in a 2-1 win and in 1993/4 Ian Blackstone (2) and Paul Barnes were the marksmen in a 3-0 victory. The following season City won 4-1 with Paul Baker (2), Glenn Naylor plus an own goal the scorers. The only draw was at Bootham Crescent (1-1) in 1988/9 with Iain Dunn on the scoresheet.

Players to have appeared for both clubs include forwards David Dunmore and Keith Houchen plus Derek Downing and Paul Atkin.