YORK City will face a Grays Athletic side looking for their first Conference victory in ten matches tomorrow.

The Essex club have slid down the table since their last league victory - a 6-0 away thumping of St Albans on October 21 - and are now hovering just one point above the bottom four.

Grays' slump has coincided with the twin departures of strikers Aaron McLean and Michael Kightly in the autumn.

McLean (13) and Kightly (10) had plundered 23 goals between them before leaving for Peterborough and Wolves respectively and nobody has taken up the scoring mantle since with Glenn Poole the leading marksman left on their books with four.

Former West Ham trainee Lee Boylan, who was so prolific at previous club Canvey Island, has struggled to recapture that form, managing just three goals in 21 outings and is likely to be dropped for the Minstermen clash.

John Turner and on-loan Gresley Rovers forward Aaron O'Connor, who are both yet to score for Grays, are expected to line-up in attack instead.

But captain and key midfielder Stuart Thurgood is unlikely to play having aggravated a hamstring injury during last weekend's 2-2 draw with Oxford.

Dennis Oli, who suffered knee ligament damage during the Minstermen's 0-0 draw at the Recreation Ground last month, has returned to training but will probably not be risked although midfielder John Martin is poised for a recall after an abductor problem.

Grays' free-scoring start to the season means only Dagenham and St Albans have netted more times on their travels in the Conference during 2006-07 but, as well as McLean and Kightly, other pedigree strikers Danny Cadamateri and Justin Richards have also left for pastures new.

Ex-Everton and Fulham forward Cadamateri, who played against City on a one-match, non-contract basis, is now on Leicester City's books and Richards has moved on to Boston United.

Since City last faced Grays, former Tottenham full-back Justin Edinburgh has also become their third managerial appointment of the season following the departures of Frank Gray and Andy King. Gray had only taken up the reins from Mark Stimson in the summer.

City v Grays match points

Compiled by David Batters

Grays have won on both their two previous visits to York. Last season they won a first round FA Cup tie 3-0 and on January 21, 2006 they beat City 2-1 in the Conference.

City's scorer was Joe O'Neill and the line up was; Porter, Craddock, Hotte, Dudgeon, Merris, Convery (Yalcin), Panther, Dunning, N'Toya, O'Neill, Donaldson.

The two Conference fixtures between the clubs in Essex have ended in draws.

IT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 27

1968: City gained their first away win of the season when they beat Lincoln City 3-1 at Sincil Bank with goals from Les Collinson,Tommy Ross and Tommy Spencer. However, they remained in the bottom four of Division Four (League Two) 1973: A 3-2 win away to Third Division (League One) leaders Bournemouth in front of 11,964 at Dean Court. The scorers were John Stone (2) and Paul Aimson and City were 16th in the table.

1979: In the fourth round of the FA Cup City lost 3-1 at Nottingham Forest. At the time City were in the Fourth Division while Forest were reigning First Division (Premiership) champions and destined to win the European Cup that season. Barry Wellings scored City's consolation goal in front of 25,228 fans.

1990: David Longhurst netted twice in a 3-1 home win over Colchester United which lifted City up to 6th in Division Four (League Two). Shaun Reid was the other marksman and the crowd was 2,311.

2001: A 1-0 reverse at Blackpool and City were 22nd in Division Three (League Two).

2004: City were 10th in Division Three (League Two) following a goalless encounter away at Southend United.