THE York Minster Engineering League’s representative side’s new management team of Chris Smith and Simon Wood will be looking to get off to a winning start at Pickering Town tomorrow night.

Smith and Wood will be in charge for the annual contest against Scarborough that will decide who lifts the Ernie Fairclough Challenge Cup.

The match will take place at Pickering Town’s Mill Lane ground and kicks off at 7.30pm.

Scarborough will be defending the trophy they won last year following a Billy Logan hat-trick, but he will not feature in this latest meeting, having moved on to Scarborough Athletic.

Smith, meanwhile, combines his new role with his commitments as manager of Osbaldwick, who are steadily improving and competing well in the YMEL premier division.

He has also been in charge of York Nomads’ Sunday League team for the past six seasons, winning last term’s North Riding County Cup and the York FA Sunday Cup

As a player, Smith represented Huntington, New Earswick and Stamford Bridge.

Wood previously worked as a community coach at York City and guided the club’s ladies’ team to two County Cup final victories.

He has been involved with the FA Women’s Programme for ten years in total and has coached in America, whilst holding a UEFA B Licence and the FA Youth Award.

Both coaches are in their mid-30s and succeed Andy Barkway and Gary Kitson.

The Scarborough match will be followed by the first round of the FA Inter League Cup against the West Riding County Amateur League on Saturday, October 14, which will be played at Tadcaster Albion’s i2i Stadium, kick-off 3pm.