YORK CITY new boy Asa Hall is putting all thoughts of a second appearance at Wembley to one side as he concentrates on staving off the threat of relegation.

On-loan Cheltenham midfielder Hall, who made his debut in Saturday’s 1-0 FA Trophy quarter-final win against Brackley, was a member of the Luton Town side who lifted the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy eight years ago.

But the Bedfordshire club finished the season in the Football League drop zone following a 30-point deduction and it’s a double that the Dudley-born, 30-year-old is in no mood to repeat, with securing survival his priority, despite an understandable desire to play on the hallowed turf again.

He said: “Being one tie away from Wembley is a massive bonus and I didn’t realise that opportunity was there until the last minute when I was signing. I played there with Luton and it’s a fantastic occasion that everyone would love to be able to enjoy, but the main reason I’m here is to get the club safe.”

Hall is hoping that process can start in unlikely fashion with a result at table-toppers Lincoln on his league debut tonight and argued that positives should be taken from the Brackley win, despite a second-half struggle.

“It was a bit quiet in the dressing room after Saturday but, even if it wasn’t pretty in the second half, we played some nice stuff before then and have to be pleased because we won a game of football and have to build on that. Going to Lincoln is a massive game and we can’t be down.

“We’ll be underdogs, but we’ve got to be ready for the fight and try to upset them.”

Having been given good references on the club and manager Gary Mills from former Cheltenham team-mates Dan Parslow and Amari Morgan-Smith, as well as skipper Simon Heslop, who he used to play with at Luton, Hall is now looking forward to forming a spine that proved string enough to win the National League title last term.

“Myself, Pars and Amari were all a massive part of winning the title last season and have got a lot of experience at this level, which I’m sure can only help during the next two months when we’re playing together again,” he reasoned.

“I know York are a massive club at the wrong end of the table and there are some really good players here. I’ve been in these situations before and it’s just a mental state probably, but I’m sure I can bring something to the dressing room to encourage everybody.”