YORK City will face a team tomorrow that manager Billy McEwan rates as favourites to clinch promotion via the Conference play-offs.

Graham Turner's Hereford United have already clinched their top-five place ahead of the end-of-season KitKat Crescent clash and a victory will see the visitors finish second in the Conference for the third successive term.

That position, however, has not been a lucky omen for the Bulls, who have been knocked out in the Conference semi-finals over the last two seasons.

But McEwan believes that 2006 could mark their return to the Football League even if he hopes the end of their regulation league programme will end in defeat.

He said: "Hereford are my favourites to go up. They play good football, have a good coach, a good manager and good players but we know on our day we are a match for anybody at home.

"We should have beaten Accrington, Stevenage, Morecambe and Grays here but did not get results despite playing them off the pitch.

"When we played at Hereford, the game had 0-0 written all over it but then they brought their sub on and he scored, so we are not frightened of them and we are not frightened of anybody.

"We need to give our fantastic supporters a good send-off for the summer so there will be no holiday atmosphere.

"Hereford will need to fight for their points and I think we will want them more than they do."

The Conference's top scorer Andy Bishop is expected to play tomorrow despite missing training on Thursday after having his car seriously vandalised in a street adjacent to the club.

City will face a Hereford team that have only tasted defeat once in their last 23 matches.

The Bulls will also arrive at KitKat Crescent having not lost an away match in the Conference since October.

Hereford's last league defeat on their travels came against champions Accrington Stanley back in October and the Edgar Street club have since racked up 13 away games unbeaten.

In fact, Turner's men have only lost three away fixtures this season, which is a tally that can only be matched by Grays and bettered by no side.

The Bulls also boast the division's meanest defence having conceded just 32 goals this season.

But, at the other end of the pitch, Hereford have struggled for goals with right-winger Andy Williams the club's top scorer with nine.

Fit-again pair Adam Stansfield and Guy Ipoua are now putting pressure on front two Daniel Carey-Bertram and Stuart Fleetwood for starting places, while club captain Tony James could also return in defence after a groin strain.

Tomorrow's squads

YORK CITY (probable): Porter, Price, Dudgeon, McGurk, Peat, Convery, Panther, N Bishop, Dunning, A Bishop, Donaldson. Subs: Reid, Merris, Hotte, Stewart, O'Neill.

Hereford (probable): Brown, Travis, Mkandawire, Beckwith, Jeannin, Williams, Ferrell, Stanley, Purdie, Fleetwood, Carey-Bertram. Subs: Mawson, Stansfield, Ipoua, Pitman, Nicolau.

Referee: Martin Harris (Lincolnshire).

Kick-off: 3pm.

City match points

City v Hereford

Hereford United made 12 Football League visits winning three times, the last occasion being in 1989/90.

In the series City recorded eight wins. The biggest of these were 4-0 in 1983/84 and 5-1 in 1982/82.

United's first Conference visit last term ended in a 3-0 win for the visitors. City's line-up on August 21, 2004 was: Crichton, Brass, Davis, Clarke, Smith (Merris), Law, Graves, Dunning, Stewart (Yalcin), Robinson, Bishop.

Players who have represented both clubs include Colin Addison, Phil Burrows, Jim Hinch and Steve Spooner.

It Happened On April 29

1957: Billy Fenton was the scorer in a 1-1 home draw against Division Three (North) champions Derby County. The attendance for this last game of the season was 9,413 and City finished seventh in the table.

1961: A crowd of 17,885 at Selhurst Park saw promotion-winning Crystal Palace defeat City 1-0. The club ended this campaign fifth in Division Four.

1972: Blackburn Rovers won the last game of the season 1-0 at Bootham Crescent in front of 5,099. City finished 19th in Division Three (League One) and avoided relegation on goal average.

1989: A 3-3 home draw against Rochdale with Tony Canham (pictured left), Steve Tutill and Iain Dunn on the scoresheet. The attendance was 1,920 and City were mid-table in the Fourth.

1995: Paul Baker netted both goals in a 2-0 win over Rotherham United at Bootham Crescent watched by 3,183. City were eighth in Division Two (League One).

2000: Halifax Town were beaten 2-0 at Bootham Crescent and had three players sent off. James Turley and Scott Jordan were the marksmen. The crowd was 3,079 and City were 20th in Division Three (League Two).

Statistics supplied by David Batters

Updated: 11:14 Friday, April 28, 2006