Grays Athletic Preview (FA Cup)

[Match Reports]

Preview by NagatsukaShumi

After York slipped up last Saturday away at Accrington the Minstermen will be looking to get back on track against conference leaders Grays Athletic on Saturday in the F.A. Cup.

Team News

The Minstermen look to follow up on their 4-0 victory over the Conference North side Gainsborough Trinity with another victory at Bootham Crescent as they welcome Grays Athletic. The Minstermen made the draw courtesy of Mark Convery, Clayton Donaldson and a brace from Andy Bishop, the top scorer for last season and joint top scorer along with Donaldson this time round. After a disappointing display against Accrington Stanley where the Minstermen lost 2-1, Billy McEwan will be looking for a much improved performance against Grays. Both Clayton Donaldson and Andy Bishop are likely to start for the Minstermen as they strive to keep up their goal scoring ways, Joe O'Neill may also feature if McEwan opts for his three pronged attack once again as he looks to build on his hat trick from earlier in the season. York will be hoping that the influential Emmanuel Panther will have returned to fitness after missing out against Accrington Stanley as he has been sorely missed and replacement, Levent Yalcin, failed to provide efficient cover for the Scot when called upon. If Panther fails to make the starting line up he could appear on the bench, though just who will fill his role remains to be seen. Mark Convery will hope to return to the form that made him a valuable asset early on in the season as Darren Dunning looks likely to also start. On-loan David McGurk should start the game as will former Scarborough defender James Dudgeon, David Merris may also earn himself a first team spot. In goal it is likely that Chris Porter will start the game, though David Stockdale could be given a chance having not featured for the Minstermen this term.

Grays Athletic could never have dreamed for a better start to life in the Conference as they lay top of the pile with several high scoring victories, maybe not surprising after they finished last season with an impressive 118 goals, though nobody would have expected them to be leading after been promoted from the Conference North along with Southport and Altrincham from the Conference South. Former Totteham Hotspur player, Jamie Slabber, is the clubs top scorer in the league with 7 goals so far, Gary Hooper has also scored 7, 5 of which came in league and it is likely that both will feature in Saturday's game and the City defence will need to make sure they don't add to their tally. Along with Slabber upfront it is likely that either Dennis Oli or Tony Battersby will find themselves in the starting line up. Grays have several options in the midfield with former Leicester youngster, Tom Williamson, an option along with the high scoring Gary Hooper and Glenn Poole. The defence could come in the shapes of Andy Sambrook, Cameron Mawer, Jamie Stuart, Joe Bruce, John Nutter or Lee Matthews with a wide selection for Mark Stimson. The goal it is likely to be guarded by Ashley Bayes with Nicholas Eyre on the bench.
Both teams will be hoping to advance into the next round and earn the cash prize on offer for victory, the draw is on Sunday following the BBC live game.

Possible Teams

York City: porter; price, mcgurk, dudgeon, merris; convery, yalcin, dunning; bishop, o'neill, donaldson. Substitutes: stockdale, mallon, stewart, webster, staley.

Grays Athletic: eyre; sambrook, stuart, angus, nutter; mclean, thurgood, martin, kightly; oli, slabber. Substitutes: bayes, matthews, olayinka, poole, hooper.

Current Form Guide (Last Five Games)

City - WDWWW - Exeter City 4-2 (H), Gravesend & Northfleet 2-2 (A), Canvey Island 2-1 (H), Gainsborough Trinity 4-0 (FA Cup) (A), Accrington Stanley 2-1 (A)

Grays - DWWWW - Woking 1-1 (A), Scarborough 5-0 (H), Cray Wanderers 2-0 (FA Cup) (H), Southport 4-1 (A), Southend United 4-1 (Essex Senior Cup) (A).

Last Game

Grays Athletic 1-1 York City

Stuart Thurgood scored the 90th minute penalty after Mark Hotte's red card to make sure that the points were shared between the two sides, but after an impressive performance last time away from home, City will be confident when Grays travel to York on Saturday.

Useful Links
http://www.graysathletic.co.uk/ - Grays Home Page