Tinkler on the cup goal trail

York City full back Wayne Hall (right) clears the ball before Stoke dangerman Kyle Lightbourne can move in towards goal

The versatile ace has targeted tomorrow night's FA Cup minnows Enfield for a goal rush after City's League slump stretched into its seventh week.

Saturday's 2-0 defeat by leaders Stoke City was the club's sixth in their last seven Division Two encounters in which the Minstermen have plucked just a single point from a 1-1 draw with Notts County.

In just over 24 hours' time they break off from their League doldrums to resume cup hostilities with Ryman League side Enfield at Bootham Crescent.

The replay does not just offer City a chance of clinching a place in the second round away to Wrexham on December 5, said Tinkler. It also afforded the prospect of City banishing their goal drought of just five goals in their last eight games.

Said Tinkler: "We cannot afford to be taking anything for granted and we certainly won't be disrespectful of Enfield.

"But goals would give us our confidence back and that's what we've got to be after tomorrow.

"It won't be easy. But if we can create chances then hopefully we can take them. If we can bag a few goals then I'm certain we can get started again. We've got to win tomorrow and win well."

Ill-luck in front of goal dogged City at Stoke's Britannia Stadium home, where the Minstermen set about the table-toppers to command large spells of the second-half.

Said Tinkler: "At the moment we're just not getting anything in front of the posts.

"We have been on top for most of the game forcing Stoke to try to catch us on the break. But nothing's going right for us up front."

The player, who starred in defence and then added muscle to midfield when playmaker Steve Agnew limped off, ventured that City and their supporters should take considerable consolation from the performance.

"We have come here to a big club, a big stadium, with big-money players and taken the game to Stoke for almost all the second-half.

"We have to take encouragement from that. We were a bit patchy in the first-half, but in the second we've come back well.

"The fans aren't stupid. They've seen how much effort we have put in and that we worked so hard without taking our chances. That's the big difference."

Agnew came off the field after pulling up with a groin strain rather than risk worsening the injury. Immediately after the game he was given ice-pack treatment to ensure he would be fit for tomorrow's tie.

Enfield will be going into the game on a high after their 1-0 win at Oxford City in the second round of the FA Trophy.

see MATCH REPORT

City deny winger bid

YORK City have denied a move for Emley winger Michael Reynolds.

City boss Alan Little said today he knew nothing about reports that City were lining up a bid for the fleet-footed wingman.

Chesterfield, Brentford and Carlisle United, who have watched Reynolds, the star of the UniBond League side's FA Cup campaign.

Reynolds, has also attracted interest from Premiership big guns Leeds United.

Reynolds will not move until the non-Leaguers' FA Cup run is over but sparkled in the 1-1 first round draw against Rotherham. The replay is tomorrow night.

He was rested in Saturday's 1-0 FA Trophy win over Whitley Bay and made a big impact with his electric pacewhen coming on as a 65th minute substitute.

Little's big salute for rapped Hall

BACK in harness Wayne Hall was praised by York boss Alan Little.

Hall, who had been rapped by the club over misdeeds with FA Cup tickets at Enfield, returned to the senior side at Stoke City for the first time in almost a month from a hamstring injury.

But his performance earned plaudits from manager Little, who said: "Wayne's had a difficult week.

"He has had to take some criticism and he has been punished for what he has done.

"But he is York through and through and to think he has been away for a long spell, he has come back to play like that."

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