YORK City were praying winter's icy grip would relent to avoid a new year wipe out of fixtures.

As first revealed on www.thisisyork.co.uk yesterday afternoon, the Minstermen's trip to play Cheltenham today was called off because of a frost-bound Whaddon Road pitch.

Now the focus is on Bootham Crescent, where there will be a pitch inspection by a Football League referee tomorrow at 3pm to determine whether the New Year's Day visit of Division Three leaders Chesterfield can go ahead.

City will not want another game swelling the off-list. And they will not want to be too inactive ahead of next Saturday's FA Cup third round trek to Premiership outfit Leicester City.

After securing a further 1,000 tickets since selling their original 2,000 allocation for the Filbert Street duel City are taking bookings for their ninth coach.

Cup-tie ticket inquiries should be directed to the club's hot-line tel York (01904) 624447 ext 1.