TABLE-TOPPERS Accrington Stanley will arrive at KitKat Crescent to face York City having seen their five-month unbeaten league run ended by lowly Southport this week.

Stanley had not tasted defeat in 20 Conference matches before Tuesday night's trip to Haig Avenue but lost 2-0 to a Southport side who had started the evening anchored to the bottom of the table.

Prior to that reverse, John Coleman's men had last lost a league game on October 15 at Stevenage before beginning their impressive undefeated sequence with a 2-1 home victory over the Minstermen in their next Conference fixture a fortnight later.

But Stanley, who are 11 points clear at the top, have stuttered in recent weeks taking two points from a possible nine and having a man sent off in each of their last four games.

Centre-back Robbie Williams was the latest Stanley player to receive his marching orders for a professional foul against Southport.

Williams, therefore, misses tomorrow's match as does fellow defender Leam Richardson, who has been red carded in his last two appearances and is now serving a four-match suspension.

Centre-back Andy Tretton is also ruled out through injury and right-back Peter Cavanagh, who captains the team, could be rushed back after a month crocked on the sidelines.

With Tretton and Williams absent, Danny Ventre is expected to partner Michael Welch in the centre of defence having recently returned from suspension after his red card in the 2-2 draw at Hereford.

Goals have been spread evenly throughout the Accrington team this season with the midfield weighing in significantly.

Highly-rated left-winger Gary Roberts leads the scoring charts with 12 goals.

Striker Paul Mullin has netted 11 times and central-midfielder Ian Craney has also reached double figures this season.

Romuald Boco, who plays in the middle of the park as well, has contributed four goals in 18 starts and right-winger Andy Todd has managed three in seven.

But former Manchester United trainee striker David Brown, expected to continue as Mullin's forward partner, has struggled to find the net regularly this season and has only scored once in his last 15 outings.

City match points

City v Accrington

ACCRINGTON won the corresponding game last term 1-0 watched by 2,272. Chris Porter was sent off in the 20th minute and City's line-up on August 31, 2004 was: Porter, Law, Davis, Brass, Merris, Donovan, Groves, Dunning, Stewart (Stockdale), Bishop, (PD Robinson), Nogan (Yalcin).

City had lost four of their opening five matches.

Accrington made a total of 24 Football League visits to Bootham Crescent between 1929 to 1961. City's biggest victory in the series was 6-1 in 1951/52 when Billy Fenton recorded a hat-trick and in 1959/60 they won 3-0 with John Edgar netting a six-minute treble, the quickest in the club's history. On Good Friday 1955 this fixture attracted a crowd of 19,843 for a Division Three North encounter which was drawn 1-1.

Players who have appeared for both clubs include Tom Lockie, Sid Storey, Alex Hamilton, Ian Blackstone, Rory Prendergast and Paul Crichton (pictured).

It Happened on

March 25

1932: A 5-2 win over Rochdale at Fulfordgate in a Good Friday fixture watched by 5,285. Scorers were Matt Jenkinson (2), Reg Baines (2) and Oliver Thompson and City were ninth in the Northern Section.

1950: Matt Patrick was the scorer in a 1-1 home draw against Stockport County in front of 6,365. City were third from bottom in Division Three North.

1961: Stockport were again the visitors and a crowd of 8,221 saw a goalless draw and City were fourth in Division Four.

1963: For the first time since the end of September, City moved out of the bottom four of the Fourth when they beat Hartlepool United 2-0 at Bootham Crescent. Scorers were Norman Wilkinson and Tommy Heron.

1966: City crashed to a 7-2 defeat at Swansea to remain firmly at the foot of Division Three (League One). Scorers were Ken Morton and an opponent.

1967: A run of nine games without a win ended with a 5-1 Division Four home success over Luton Town. Andy Provan (2), Les Collinson, Tom Spencer and John Goodchild were on target. The crowd was 1,912.

1968: A 6-2 home win over Bradford Park Avenue with goals from Tommy Ross (2), Ted MacDougall (2), Roly Horrey and Andy Provan lifted City up to 16th in Division Four.

Updated: 10:34 Friday, March 24, 2006