ANTHONY Straker has been challenged to hold on to his York City starting place after re-emerging from the Bootham Crescent wilderness.

The 27-year-old winger had not kicked off a single game during manager Russ Wilcox’s 12-month reign prior to the 2-2 home draw with Cambridge at the weekend.

He then stayed in the first XI for Tuesday night’s 2-0 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy victory over Doncaster, setting up the first of Vadaine Oliver’s goals with a terrific left-wing cross.

The Grenada international will now get another chance to impress during Saturday’s return to Sky Bet League Two action at Luton with Wilcox demanding he maintains his currents standards.

The City chief said: “I’ve told him the shirt is his now and it’s up to him not to lose it by building on Tuesday’s performance and not living off it. He was exciting going forward against Doncaster and his final ball was good, but he also doubled up well with Femi (Ilesanmi) to help out defensively and we’re looking for him to continue doing that.”

The Minstermen are not expected to make any changes from midweek, meaning the new-look strikeforce of Oliver and Michael Coulson will enjoy another outing.

On that partnership, Wilcox added: “It was a case of putting two good players together (against Doncaster) and it worked well. We’ve not had much of a chance to work with them both on the training ground, because Michael’s just come back from injury, but they used their instincts and quality to link up with each other and play to their individual strengths.

“Vadaine is very strong in the air but, on Tuesday, he also held the ball up as well as I’ve seen him do all season and that allowed Michael to play in little pockets of space.”

Wilcox went on to reason that Oliver’s brace against the League One visitors in midweek will serve as a big boost for him, following his return from a three-match ban.

“The goals will have given him a huge lift, especially as they are the first he has scored at home, which is important,” the City boss reasoned. “Maybe the enforced rest did him good and helped him refocus.

“He’s suddenly on three goals, along with the other top scorers and, hopefully, he can go on a run now.”

Wilcox is also looking forward to naming the likes of attacking trio Reece Thompson, Emile Sinclair and Rhys Turner, who is available after being cup-tied against Doncaster, as substitutes.

“We should have three strikers on the bench against Luton and I’ve been lucky to have three to call upon all season,” the City manager pointed out. “We’ve had good competition in all other areas of the pitch, but not in the final third.

“Now, though, we’ve got great options and players know they are under pressure for their shirts with quality players waiting in the wings. We’ve also got more scope to change the system during games.”

Despite admitting Kenilworth Road can be a hostile arena, meanwhile, Wilcox suggested that the victory over Doncaster and City’s record over the Bedfordshire outfit in recent years means the trip should hold no fear.

The Minstermen have only lost one of their last 13 meetings with Luton – a run that includes seven victories – with Wilcox saying: “They have won their last four league games, including two clean sheets at home, so it will be tough, but we must focus more on ourselves.

“We’ve shown what we can do against Doncaster and, whilst it can be intimidating going to Luton, the club have got a good record there and, at 2-0 up last season, we were cruising before Jake (Hyde) was sent off and such key moments change games because we went on to draw 2-2.

“Speaking as an ex-player, you also want to play in front of 7,000 crowds like they get and you’re excited by what you will do and see. Their team is likely to be different to the side that played in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy because their manager changed his whole back four.

“We’ve not got the luxury of doing that but I wouldn’t have done anyway because we would rather win the game and get through to the next round.”

Hyde will step up his recovery from a hernia operation with a visit to the FA’s national centre at St George’s Park in Burton next week with Wilcox explaining: “That will be an important part of his rehabilitation.

“It’s great what they do down there and we’ve got one of the few spots that were available for him, so he will be working morning, noon and night to get close to fitness again.”

Eddie Nolan and Luke Summerfield will not feature at Luton either with the latter continuing to convalesce at his family home in Birmingham following the head injury he suffered at Notts County.