RELEGATION-HAUNTED Southport have taken measures aimed at guaranteeing a big crowd for tomorrow's crucial home game with York City.

The Sandgrounders remain two points adrift of a place outside the Conference drop zone with just two games left to play but have given themselves a lifeline by winning their last four matches.

Gravsend (4-0), Burton (3-1), Rushden (3-2) and Stafford (5-1) have all been beaten during a remarkable run, following a sequence of one win in their previous 11 matches which had seen Southport teetering on the brink of relegation to Conference North.

The fight-back has captured the imagination of the locals with a crowd of 1,522 - Haig Avenue's second highest of the season following the 1,804 gate against Morecambe on Boxing Day - turning up for the Easter Monday victory over Burton.

All fans present at that game were issued with a complimentary ticket for City's visit, as were season-ticket holders, who are being urged to bring along a friend.

Children from local primary schools will also be admitted free with an adult for tomorrow's game and Southport officials are now predicting a crowd well in excess of 2,000.

On the pitch, City will need to be aware of former Liverpool schoolboy Carl Baker, who is Southport's 11-goal leading marksman from midfield and has made the scoresheet during his team's last five matches, including a brace in the 5-1 victory over Stafford.

But former City loan striker Jon Newby, who has been signed on a temporary basis from League Two strugglers Wrexham, is only likely to make the home bench.