YORK CITY MATCH PREVIEW
Three games, three wins and nine points later, Alan Neilson goes in search of his fourth consecutive win in temporary charge of the Hatters when they host York City at Kenilworth Road tonight.
His role in caretaker charge has got the Town back on track in the Blue Square Premier and three points tonight could - if results go their way - push them into second place in the table and six points behind leaders Oxford United.
Victory, however, won't come easy as City have enjoyed a good start to the season themselves. By all accounts Martin Foyle's men were unlucky not to win all three points against Oxford on Saturday and the Minstermen arrive one place and four points behind the Town in the table.
The current crop of York players will have to break a long-running hoodoo at Kenilworth Road if they are to collect maximum points. In seven previous meetings in Bedfordshire the Town have won every single time.
Neilson will be hoping that particular 100 per cent record continues that would in turn keep his perfect record in charge intact.
Team news
Hatters: Shane Blackett has recovered from a bug that kept the defender out of the trip to Altrincham at the weekend but that is the only good news for Neilson and co. as illness, injury and suspension rob him of six first teamers. Keith Keane, Kevin Gallen, Freddie Murray, Lewis Emanuel, Liam Hatch and Rossi Jarvis are all unavailable. Andy Burgess was on the bench on Saturday and is regaining fitness but it remains to be seen if Neilson will change the side following the win at the weekend.
York: City boss Martin Foyle also has injury and suspension problems with James Meredith suspended following his dismissal for two bookable offences in Saturday's draw with Oxford. The Club are also waiting to hear if Richard Brodie's yellow card - his fifth of the campaign - against the U's will be overturned by the Football Association. If not, then he also will miss out. Striker Richard Pacquette (groin) is doubtful while Michael Gash (foot) is definitely out. Foyle does, however, welcome back Chris Carruthers to the fold after he was ineligable to face parent club Oxford on Saturday.
From both camps
Hatters first team coach Kevin Watson: "York are well organised and have dangerous players. We've briefed the players on that and worked on it in training. But first and foremost we are Luton Town and they should be worrying about us. We know what they are about but they've got to worry about us. They will have seen our last three results and hopefully they will be fearful of us. Each game has it's own individual merits and we address each different situation accordingly. That means there will be a different approach to every game and that's what will happen - it will be different from Saturday."
York manager Martin Foyle, talking to the York Press: "Luton are a dangerous side, especially at home, but it will be a good game of football. They like to play and they will let us play as well, which should suit us."
York's last six: D L W D W D
The Minstermen's form this season has been built largely on an impressive unbeaten home record with five wins and four draws in nine fixtures at KitKat Crescent (Bootham Crescent to you and me).
On the road it's been a different story for Martin Foyle's troops with their two victories from seven games earned at Tamworth and Gateshead.
During their last six matches City have picked up nine points from a possible 18 with 3-2 victories over both Kidderminster and Tamworth.
Their only defeat in this period occured the last time they played away from home when a Matt Tubbs penalty gave Salisbury all three points on October 10.
York in focus:
Nickname: The Minstermen
Manager: Martin Foyle
Ground: Bootham Crescent
Last season: Conference 17th
2008/09 average attendance: 2,295
Pre-2009/10 BSP title odds: 22/1
Previous meetings:
Luton wins: 10
Draws: 3
York wins: 2
The Hatters hold a healthy advantage in meetings with the Minstermen with 10 victories from the 15 past encounters - including the double against City the season the two sides last met in 2001/02.
The match at Bootham Crescent, a 2-1 victory, was probably best remembered for Steve Howard's two penalties - missing a second time after he had missed his first attempt and was allowed to retake by the referee.
Of the seven fixtures between the clubs at Kenilworth Road, the Town have won all seven.
York's only league victory came in the two sides' first ever meeting in March 1967 at Bootham Crescent. That was followed two months later when the Hatters beat City by the same scoreline at Kenilworth Road!
Recent history:
After being founded in 1922 and joining the Football League seven years later, the Minstermen lost their status as a League club following relegation from League 2 in 2003/04.
Their relegation that season was down in no small part to the fact they failed to win a league game in their final 20 matches of the campaign.
After a 17th place finish in their first season in the Conference they missed out on the play-offs by three places the following season in 2005/06.
In 2006/07, however, the Minstermen did make the end-of-season lottery but lost at the semi-final stage to Morecambe who went onto win promotion themselves.
2007/08 saw City fail to replicate the form of the previous campaign and landed up marooned in midtable, eventually finishing 14th.
Last season saw another frustrating league campaign in the Conference for the Bootham Crescent faithful when finishing in 17th place, narrowly avoiding the drop with a late resurgence in form towards the tail end of the season helping them survive demotion to Blue Square North.
It was a different matter in the cup competitions though, and manager Martin Foyleguided the club to Wembley in the FA Trophy, but the Minstermen lost 2-0 in the final to Stevenage Borough.
FACT: York's Bootham Crescent ground is official known as KitKat Crescent and has been since January 2005 following the club's sponsorship with Nestlé who are based in the City.
Official website: www.ycfc.net
Remember www.lutontown.co.uk is the only place for all your Hatters news straight from the Kenilworth Road. Remember to join us for all the action as it happens at before, during and after the all important game with the Minstermen - whether it's the popular live text updates or live commentary, we've got it.
And we'll have all the post-match reaction and match action following the game against York. Come on you Hatters!
