YORK City boss Billy McEwan is expecting no favours from old pal Jim Smith when their two teams meet at KitKat Crescent on Saturday.

The Minstermen enjoyed a vital 1-0 win at Southport but still require a point from their final game against Smith's Oxford United to secure a certain play-off place.

City have moved above Exeter, who could only draw 0-0 at Stevenage on Saturday, but can still be overhauled by the fifth-placed Devon club.

Burton Albion, in sixth, can also scupper the Minstermen's play-off hopes after their 3-0 win at Northwich.

But, because of their superior goal difference over the Brewers, City will only miss out on a top-five place IF they lose to Oxford AND Exeter and Burton both win their final games of the season.

Exeter play host to Southport, who must win to stand a chance of staving off relegation, while Burton entertain Rushden and Diamonds, who are only playing for pride.

Oxford's top-five place is already confirmed but McEwan, despite working under Smith as a coach at Derby County, ruled out the possibility of a result that would suit both friends.

The City boss said: "That would not be fair on the other teams. We will finish where we do on merit. I'm not looking for any favours and Jim will feel the same.

"My old gaffer will be trying to put one over on me and I'll be trying to do the same to him.

"I think Saturday will be another nervous afternoon and the good thing is we are going into the last game of the season with an opportunity to achieve something.

"I'm sure everybody connected with the club will have a little tingle and probably not be able to sleep on Friday night but that's what makes this game fantastic."

McEwan paid tribute to a travelling army of 800 supporters at Southport and is now hoping the fans will turn up in force for Saturday's match.

He said: "My ambition when I came to the club was to fill the stadium and we might be able to do that earlier than I thought. I'm hoping our fans will come out, get behind the team and cheer us on."

City can still finish third, fourth, fifth or sixth depending on results next Saturday and McEwan added: "We want to finish as high as we can and are still looking ahead rather than over our shoulder.

"We're not worried about anyone else and our process of preparing the team will be the same this week. It's like a man in a rowing boat - you don't see the finishing line until you have crossed it."

McEwan prasied top scorer Clayton Donaldson's coolness under pressure as he despatched the penalty that secured maximum points for City at Southport and took his tally to 26 for the season.

The 56th-minute spot kick was awarded after home defender Michael Powell was sent off for handling a Steve Bowey shot on the line but McEwan also felt that City could have avoided an anxious afternoon and won by a greater margin.

He said: "Fair credit to Clayton. With the red card and their keeper being injured, he had to wait a long time in the build up to the penalty before he stuck it away and that took a lot of composure.

"It was a bit nervy towards the end but we could have been sitting three or four goals up by then. We should have buried them with the situations we had in the final third."