SEAN Newton has admitted he would not have the stomach for an FA Trophy final at Wembley if York City are relegated.

Despite never playing on the hallowed turf, Newton reasoned that such an occasion could not be enjoyed should the club be preparing for their first season of regionalised football in 88 years.

City will return to Trophy action a week on Tuesday with their first-leg, semi-final home clash against Lincoln, followed by the return match at Sincil Bank four days later.

But, while Newton reasoned that the Imps hold no fear following this week’s 1-1 away draw against the table-topping FA Cup quarter-finalists, he is completely consumed by the priority of league survival and upcoming clashes with Eastleigh and Sutton.

“We’ve got 12 league games left and every game, from now on, will get bigger and bigger,” Newton declared. “The Trophy is in the way a bit and has to be put to one side.

“I don’t want to talk about those games until we’re preparing for them. We’ve shown we can give Lincoln a game and we will give our all in those matches when they come around, but I know for a fact that not one player in the dressing room will really want to play at Wembley if we go down.

“We have to stay in this league first and foremost, because I couldn’t enjoy playing there if we had been relegated. This club shouldn’t be anywhere near where it is and, as players, we will be giving our all until the end of the season.

“I just hope the fans, who were unbelievable at Lincoln, stick with us if we go a goal down, because they are the ones who can drive us through.”

Eastleigh are the next test for City at Bootham Crescent tomorrow and, while Newton suggested their playing roster deserves respect, he added that he feels a convincing win is imminent.

“Their budget is one of the biggest in the league and they have got players who have done a lot of things in their careers, so we have got to produce the same work ethic and desire to compete we had at Lincoln,” the 28-year-old utility man pointed out. “If we do, I know, with our front three, even though we have only been scoring in ones, that we can win games and, surely, somebody will go in at half-time 3-0 or 4-0 down sooner rather than later and that would be nice as a defence to be involved in a game like that.”

With Yan Klukowski sidelined by a calf problem, Newton has recently switched from midfield into a position on the left of a back three, alongside Hamza Bencherif and Dan Parslow.

The trio started their first match together at Sincil Bank with Newton encouraged by their performance, other than for the hosts’ equaliser when attacking talisman Matt Rhead slipped their attentions for the only time on the night and set up Alan Power for the equaliser.

Newton reckoned that Vadaine Oliver’s exit from the action at half-time due to a dead leg was also a pivotal moment in the top-v-bottom contest.

Delivering his verdict on the game, the former England C international said: “I thought we could have been 2-0 or 3-0 up again but, when V went off at half-time, we missed him.

“He’s a big threat and plays a massive part in the way we play. He has pace, is strong and is good in the air and, while Scotty (Fenwick) did unbelievably well when he came on, he’s a different threat in terms of picking up the ball and getting us up the pitch.

“But speed scares defences and V has got that in abundance and, when he went off, we just missed that extra bit we had in the first half. We defended unbelievably while they were throwing everything at us, but just switched off once and it cost us.

“We knew Matt Rhead was a threat and, as a back three, we had spoke about how he always looks for that glancing header inside. We had dealt with it all game, but switched off just that once and they punished us, which is why they are where they are.

“He’s done the same against Premier League and Championship teams. They couldn’t handle him and we’ve just got to dust ourselves down because, going to Lincoln and being frustrated with a point, can only be a good sign.

“We must now go on and beat Eastleigh because, if we don’t, it will mean the hard work we put in at Lincoln was a waste of time.”

Following his switch from a midfield role, meanwhile, Newton is confident that the latest engine-room partnership of Asa Hall and Adriano Moke can compensate for his absence in that area of the pitch, despite their lack of recent minutes on the pitch.

“Asa is growing with each game,” Newton explained. “He had a bad injury at Cheltenham, but I’ve played against him a few times in the past and he’s a good player, so the more game time he has the better he will get.

“Adriano did well, but tired a bit as well, because he hadn’t played for a while and you could see a few of our lads’ legs went a bit late on, but they kept trying to win the second balls.”

City have confirmed the dates, meanwhile, of the two outstanding fixtures that needed to be rearranged.

The trip to Macclesfield will now take place on Tuesday, March 28 with the home clash against Bromley scheduled seven days later on Tuesday, April 4.

It means Gary Mills’ team will face seven fixtures in each of the final two months of the season.