Gritty defender Barry Jones has targeted a second helping of happy returns in York City's FA Cup sortie to Wrexham.

Jones was a Wrexham player for six seasons until almost a year ago when he made the trek across the Pennines to bolster the City defence.

Now, as the Minstermen totter under a crushing casualty list, Jones is poised to be City's most senior rearguard campaigner in action against his former club.

Wayne Hall, Neil Thompson and Gary Himsworth are cast-iron absentees, while the chances of either Tony Barras or newly-injured Andy McMillan playing are rated slim.

Yet Jones is already a Racecourse Ground winner. The battling centre-back captained City when they stalled the Robins' promotion push in a pulsating 2-1 win last April.

It was the first unveiling of three centre-backs for the Minstermen, and the conquest of Wrexham enabled them to set off on an unbeaten flourish to last term, solid form that was translated into the opening two months of the current season.

Since then the wheels have dropped off spectacularly. City have lurched to a Division Two descent accompanied by just one win in ten games, and that being the FA Cup first round replay against Enfield.

The jaunty Jones - his name of Welsh origin, his roots pure Liverpool - still believed City could overcome their injury crisis and spring a cup shock at his one-time stamping-ground.

"It was brilliant to win away there last season and I would hope we can do it again," he said.

"I'm certainly looking forward go going back. It's more like a home game for me as I only live about half an hour away.

"All we need is a bit of luck to kick-start the season again and get a win. I've never known a situation like we have now with injuries, But it can't be helped."What we need is a win. If we can get it then we can be in with the big boys and that will give us fresh impetus."

Jones, who arrived at City initially on loan 12 months ago before securing a £40,000 deal from Wrexham, confirmed that the Robins boasted a healthy FA Cup pedigree.

During his time at Wrexham he was a member of the team that enjoyed crunch clashes against Manchester United and Ipswich Town.

But the City ace said that knockout lineage could work against the Welsh hosts. Declared Jones: "The crowd there expect a cup run. They believe they will always get through to the third round of the FA Cup at least.

"That expectation level is high and that could work for us especially if we can keep the game deadlocked at a draw say by half-time. They will then get a bit edgy."

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