YORK City stalwart Dan Parslow has insisted there will be no “gimmes” as the club look to secure National League survival in the next five games.

The Minstermen travel to a Chester team tomorrow who are nine points clear of the drop zone and seemingly free from relegation worries under ex-Bootham Crescent legend Jon McCarthy.

But Parslow is expecting no favours at the Deva Stadium after Bromley, who also looked virtually home and hosed, put in an impressive display to defeat City 2-0 on their own soil in midweek.

The 31-year-old defender believes the quality of teams in non-League football’s highest echelon has risen considerably since the last time he was scrapping to keep City in the division back in 2008/09.

Safety back then was assisted considerably by trips to desperate strugglers Weymouth and Lewes, who concluded that campaign.

Parslow, though, is expecting a sterner challenge this time around from the remaining fixtures against Chester, Solihull, Wrexham, Woking and Forest Green, regardless of what is riding on the outcome for the opposition, meaning the Minstermen must take charge of their own destiny.

“More and more teams are professional now and nobody likes to get beaten or give you anything and just roll over,” he pointed out. “As an honest professional footballer, if you go out with the mindset that a game doesn’t really matter, then you shouldn’t be playing.

“There are no gimmes – you need to earn everything. Bromley have done the double over us now and, whilst I wasn’t here the first time around, they were organised and good at what they do (on Tuesday night).

“They had pace up front and were solid at the back. You only have to look at this league to see the great teams that are all fighting to get out of it and to stay in it and I think the standard has vastly improved.”

As well as in 2009, Parslow also fought a successful battle against relegation with the Minstermen four years later as City pulled clear of the Football League trapdoor under Nigel Worthington – a fight that went to the very final day of the campaign.

He is, therefore, more than happy to share his knowledge of such situations with current team-mates, adding: “I’ve been in relegation battles before at this great football club so, if I can pass on a few words and have a calming influence, then I’ll do my best.”

Parslow went on to stress that, while failing to take the opportunity against Bromley to jump out of the bottom four for the first time since November was a blow, he is confident that the team can respond to only their third defeat in 19 matches.

“It all went wrong (against Bromley) after two minutes, because the early goal gave them a lift,” he reasoned. “We then looked anxious and the crowd got restless, because the pressure is so high and we all knew what was at stake.

“It would have been fantastic to be two places outside the relegation zone and dragged more teams into the battle. But nothing was ever going to be decided by that game and it’s got to be put to bed because we can’t do anything about it now, other than react at Chester by coming out all guns blazing.

“We’ve got five huge games to get the points we need now and we know we can go out and win them. We’ve had ups and downs and other blips since I came back and have proven we are a strong group.”

Despite a dozen Sam Muggleton long throws failing to reap the rewards goal wise that they had in previous contests, Parslow reckons the former Eastleigh defender’s extraordinary speciality can still be put to good use in the coming vital contests too.

The former Welsh under-21 international once conceded an own goal for City when renowned long-throw exponent Rory Delap put him under pressure during a 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Stoke in January 2010 and he said: “Sam can lob the ball into the six-yard box and in the right spot every time and, as a defender, that’s extremely difficult to deal with.

“Bromley dealt with it well, so it wasn’t to be (on Tuesday), but we’ve scored a couple of goals off them, so I’m sure the gaffer will continue to use it, if needed.”

Parslow will be making his 334th appearance for City at Chester, which will move him above former central-defensive partner David McGurk and into 16th place on the club’s all-time appearance list.

He would also overtake 1955 FA Cup semi-final hero George Howe if he plays in the last five league matches and the FA Trophy final.