YORK City boss Russ Wilcox felt his team’s 2-0 defeat at FC Halifax Town highlighted the need to bring in a new striker before the start of the new Sky Bet League Two campaign.

The Conference club secured victory during City’s final public pre-season friendly with a goal in each half from Jake Hibbs and Connor Hughes.

Wilcox’s team mustered two shots on target in reply and the City boss is still hoping a deal for trialist Reece Thompson – who was not on duty at the Shay – can now be agreed with Frickley Athletic before Saturday’s season curtain-raising clash at Wycombe Wanderers.

City could face competition for the 21-year-old attacker’s services, however, with Bradford boss Phil Parkinson now understood to be a suitor.

Parkinson was in the Bootham Crescent crowd for City’s 2-1 friendly win over Newcastle on Wednesday night to run the rule over his club’s Capital One Cup first round hosts, but also left impressed by Thompson’s goalscoring performance.

The prospect of immediate first-team football with City, though, could prove a deal clincher and Wilcox said: “It was very pleasing to get two goals against Newcastle but we know we need to improve offensively and that’s why we are actively searching to bring in that extra striker.

“If we can get somebody like Reece Thompson into the building, then he will give us a different option because we did not stretch Halifax enough defensively. You want people to run in behind teams and we didn’t quite get that.

“Lindon Meikle did it to a degree in the second half but you’re always looking to improve the squad. I’m hoping we can finalise something with Reece and get him into the building early next week and, hopefully, he will be ready to go for the Wycombe game because a lot of hard work has been put into Reece from myself and the board.”

Wilcox added, meanwhile, that the Halifax defeat perhaps posed more questions than it answered in terms of team selection for Wycombe.

“There’s a chance for everybody to be involved and that’s a positive for the whole squad because the team is not nailed on,” the City boss pointed out. “There’s still massive food for thought.

“Nobody had their shirt for Wycombe guaranteed before the Halifax game and the match highlighted that. Hopefully, this will give us a little jolt and reminder that we’re not the finished article and need to get back to how we played against Newcastle.

“No points were lost or gained so we can’t be too low but, obviously, we’ve got to do better at Wycombe. We’ve got another game on Tuesday behind closed doors against Doncaster when we can get minutes into people and I’m looking for a great week from everyone before embarking on a season that will, hopefully, be 50 games plus.”

Despite being unhappy with his team’s approach to the Halifax game just a week after another 2-0 defeat at fellow part-timers Harrogate, Wilcox is certain that the players will be in the correct frame of mind at Adams Park.

“The game was a disappointing end to pre-season and I won’t hide away from that,” the City boss confessed. “It was a very low-key game and played at a slow tempo.

“We probably created the best chances but there wasn’t a lot to write home about. It obviously wasn’t the result and performance we were looking for, but we’re on a bit of a rollercoaster ride at the moment, probably more in a mental sense than physically.

“Games against Halifax and Harrogate might be hard to get up for, without any disrespect, but you have to and it was disappointing that we weren’t. Pre-season is difficult though and we’ve just got to get the mindset right for Wycombe, which we will do.

“This has been a little dip but the positive is we didn’t get any injuries and got good minutes into people’s legs.”

City skipper Russell Penn was rested for the game with a couple of niggles that will not prevent him travelling to Wycombe.

Goalkeeper Michael Ingham, meanwhile, was not risked after feeling tightness in his thigh muscle, but Jake Hyde and Michael Coulson could feature against Doncaster after recovering from the injuries that have kept them sidelined during the entire pre-season programme.

“Jake Hyde and Michael Coulson did some tough work before the game with John Schofield and Richard Cresswell,” Wilcox revealed. “They are getting up to speed and are almost ready to perform.

“Fingers crossed, they will play some part against Doncaster and, then, we will assess them from there.”

With Hyde and Coulson still absent and fellow forward Emile Sinclair also crocked, first-year pro Callum Rzonca started in attack at Halifax but Wilcox is unlikely to do the same at Wycombe, reasoning: “That would probably be expecting too much but Callum has had a terrific pre-season and played more minutes than he would have expected without a doubt and also in different positions and roles.

“That’s great for his development and the same applies to Ben Godfrey.”

Right-back Marvin McCoy, who was transfer-listed at the end of last season, is a strong contender, however, to face his former club having started all but the first of City’s friendlies and emerged as the surprise top scorer during pre-season with two goals.

Wilcox has revealed that he would not now welcome any inquiries for the Antigua & Barbuda international, saying: “If somebody knocked on my door at the moment asking to sign Marvin, I’d probably say no because he’s come back after the summer with the bit between his teeth and is hungry to do well for York City. While that is the case, then he will remain a York City player.

“He’s started most of the games in pre-season and has done well. His two goals have also been a bonus for him.

“He didn’t quite have the energy against Halifax that he’s shown in other games but we had players out there who have played three and even four games in a week and, hopefully, that will benefit us at Wycombe.”