It's same again for on the up York City for tonight's Auto Windscreens Shield tie at Halifax Town as manager Alan Little looks to prevent his buoyant boys' bubble from bursting.

Tony Barras

City's weekend win at Wycombe extended the revitalised Minstermen's run to 13 points out of the last 18 with a concerted play-off push now a distinct possibility.

But despite one eye on Saturday's crunch visit of title-chasing Preston North End to Bootham Crescent, Little is refusing to rest on his laurels.

Nor will he be taking the opportunity of resting some of his key players for the northern section second round clash with the Conference champions, currently riding high in division three.

"It is one of those games that until you come across you think it will get in the way," admitted Little.

"But the team is doing really well and any game for us is not a bad thing at the moment and playing football is often better than training at this time of the season anyway."

Little admitted he had contemplated giving the likes of Neil Tolson and Martin Garratt - substitutes in Saturday's victory - a full 90 minutes.

"It would be easy to make changes but another win can only help the confidence of the team and the more they get together the better they will be," he said.

"It will be a competitive game and sure we may pick up injuries but at the end of the day there is some form in the team now and we don't want that to end.

"If you lose you tend to think 'well, that is the Auto Windscreens out of the way', but if you win then you start to think of Wembley.

"We won't be taking it lightly that is for sure. We are not going there only for the players to take their foot of the gas."

The only doubt for the trip to the Shay was influential centre-back Tony Barras, who was sent home from training yesterday with a stomach bug.

But he reported to Bootham Crescent today without any problems and will be in an unchanged starting line-up.

But while York have been reborn in recent weeks, Town's third division title aspirations have taken a tumble.

Halifax have picked up just four points from a possible 18 and are without a win in their last six matches.

To add to the Shaymen's woes, impressive on-loan rangers Lee Power, from Plymouth, and Steve Guinan, from Nottingham Forest, will both be missing, as will leading scorer Jamie Paterson through injury.

However, talismanic skipper Kevin Hulme looks set to return to the side for the first time since November following suspension and injury.

There will be no replay should tonight's match finish all-square after 90 minutes. The golden goal rule will apply in extra time and if the tie is still deadlocked the game will be decided on penalties.

Match Points

Over the years City have made five cup visits to the Shay.

Three of these trips were in the FA Cup. In 1937/8 they won a first round replay 1-0 en route to the quarter-finals. In 1945/6 the competition was staged over two legs. City lost the first game at Halifax 1-0 but won the first round tie 5-3 on aggregate. The other meeting was in the first round in 1988/9 when Town won at home 1-0.

The clubs were paired together in the Football League (Milk) Cup in 1987/8 in the first round. The first leg at the Shay was drawn 1-1 (City won 2-1 on aggregate).

There's just one previous meeting in the Autowindscreens Shield (then Leyland DAF Trophy) in 1989/90. The first round game at Halifax ended 1-1 and Town won 7-6 on penalties.

In the League City have made 43 visits winning 13 times and drawing 14. Their last trip was in April 1993 when Paul Barnes scored the only goal of the game.

Players to have appeared for both clubs include Steve Griffiths, Mick Granger, Barrie Tait, Walter Bingley, Archie Taylor, Alan Kamara, David Longhurst, Steve Richards and Paul Wilson.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.