York City chief Terry Dolan is banking on Wayne Hall getting his just desserts at tonight's testimonial tussle with Premiership giants Middlesbrough (7.45pm).

The City chief will hand the dependable defender his first senior start of pre-season at Bootham Crescent with Dolan indicating the heat is off as Hall sweats on a new contract.

"The most important thing about tonight is that it is a reward to Wayne Hall for his services to the club," said the York manager, who conceded one-club players like the 31-year-old are "dying breed".

"I just hope for his benefit we get as many people through the turnstiles as possible."

Dolan has given Hall, who is currently on a three month contract while he proves his fitness following an operation on his heel, a perfectly-timed boost ahead of tonight's match.

Hall seems certain to earn a year's extension and the City chief said: "I am just looking at Wayne Hall now as part of the squad.

"He has trained every day of pre-season but it will be his first full game for me because he will start instead of Graham Potter.

"It is purely a coincidental that both he and Graham Potter are extremely fit lads and are fighting for the same position."

In other changes from Saturday, midfielder Lee Bullock will replace Kevin Hulme while Barry Conlon, who caught the eye as a second-half substitute against Manchester United, will come in for Mark Sertori.

The only enforced change will see Matt Hocking replace Gary Hobson in City's three-man defence.

Hobson was substituted at half-time after twisting his knee against United on Saturday and Dolan is not taking any risks ahead of the season's kick-off on August 12.

"His knee has puffed up a little bit but it is not as bad as we first expected and I would expect him to be fit in the next five or six days.

"I am not likely to risk him on Saturday (when City play at North Ferriby) even if the swelling has gone down but he should be okay for Chesterfield."

Striker Colin Alcide is drafted into the first team squad after missing the training camp at Keele University and having so far featured in City's 'reserve' team fixtures.

So to is central midfielder Scott Jordan, who featured for 30 minutes in Friday night's 5-1 win over Selby Town after shaking off a minor knee injury.

Dolan said Alcide's recall, albeit forced by injury, showed the other senior players outside the first-team squad - including John Williams, Martin Reed, James Turley and Andrew Dawson - that they were still in his thinking

"I can only pick 11 to start with, I could only take 18 to Keele so some people are going to be disappointed.

"But the fact is, while we have been away the players left behind have stuck at it, trained well and have had two good results where they have scored five goals in each game.

"That is what I would expect from then because you never know when you are going to have to call on them."

The City boss indicated he will be using his fringe first-team players next for the North Riding Senior Cup final at Scarborough on August 9.

York City: Fettis, Edmondson, Swan, Jones, Hocking, Hall, Fox, Bullock, Agnew, Conlon, Duffield. Subs, from: Howarth, Jordan, Hadland, Potter, McNiven, Alcide, Sertori, Hulme

Middlesbrough (probable): Schwarzer, Crossley, Stamp, Vickers, Cooper, Okon, Summerbell, Mustoe, Maddison, Ricard, Campbell, Armstrong, Gavin, O'Neill, Marinelli, Stockdale.

Kick-off: 7.45pm