HAVING climbed outside the relegation zone for the first time since the end of October, Hayes and Yeading United are hoping to move further away from the bottom four ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with York City.

United defeated Southport 1-0 at Church Road last Saturday and, with results favourable in midweek, the North London outfit remain fifth bottom prior to this weekend’s programme of fixtures although, aside from Histon who have completed the same number of matches, the rest of their lowly-placed rivals have games in hand.

If Garry Haylock’s men are to be successful in their battle against the drop, it is likely to be their home form that will prove crucial.

Hayes’ tally of six league wins in front of their own fans can only be beaten by Southport in the bottom half of the table.

On the other hand, however, only Histon have lost more home matches than the nine defeats Hayes have suffered with Church Road having only witnessed one league draw all season.

Basement club Eastbourne, meanwhile, are the only team to have shipped more goals at home than Hayes, who are also yet to beat any team in the top 13 on their own soil.

Haylock is unlikely to make any changes to his side or 3-5-2 formation after last weekend’s victory with his only dilemma coming in the goalkeeping position.

Veteran former Barnet stopper Lee Harrison, now 39, has sat on the bench nursing a groin injury for the last two matches but is now thought to be available for a return to the starting line-up.

Understudy Delroy Preddie, though, staked a strong claim to retain his place with his clean sheet against Southport and looks poised to get the nod.

At the other end of the pitch, Zimbabwe-born Bradley Pritchard is the team’s top scorer with nine goals and he claimed the matchwinner against Southport.

Pritchard previously played for City boss Gary Mills at Tamworth and there will also be a familiar face to away fans in the Hayes starting line-up.

Former on-loan City midfielder Peter Holmes has made 31 league starts this season and has missed just two matches since making a summer switch from relegated Ebbsfleet.

Hayes and Yeading (probable): Preddie; Cadmore, Bygrave, Wassmer; Webb, Hand, Pricthard, Holmes, Brown; Buchanan, Louis.


Match facts

YORK City have made one previous visit to Church Road and that was last term when they drew 1-1 with substitute Richard Pacquette scoring a late equaliser.

The line-up on August 22, 2009, was: Ingham, Purkiss, McGurk, Parslow, Meredith, Lawless, Barrett (Pacquette), Mackin (Ferrell), Smith, Gash, Rankine (Brodie).

It happened on February 26

1949: City lost at home to Darlington 5-2 with Matt and Alf Patrick the scorers and they slipped to ninth in Division Three North. The attendance was 10,531.

1955: Arthur Bottom and Norman Wilkinson netted in a 2-1 win over Gateshead in front of a Bootham Crescent crowd of 13,246. City were fourth in the Northern Section.

1966: City recorded their first away draw of the season when their visit to Bristol Rovers ended goalless but they remained in the bottom four of the Third Division (League One).

1971: A 3-0 win at Newport County with Tommy Henderson (2) and Paul Aimson on the scoresheet and City were mid-table in the Fourth Division.

1972: Tranmere Rovers were beaten 5-0 at Bootham Crescent with Eddie Rowles (2), Dennis Wann, Pat Lally and Paul Aimson on target in front of 4,227. City were 17th in the Third Division (League One).

1983: City lost 4-3 at Wimbledon with Mick Smith (og), Keith Walwyn and Alan Hay the marksmen.

1991: Iain Dunn was the match winner as Lincoln City were defeated 1-0 at Bootham Crescent watched by 1,808. City were 18th in the Fourth Division.

1994: A 3-0 home win over Leyton Orient with goals from Ian Blackstone (2) and Paul Barnes which lifted City to ninth in the Second Division (League One). The attendance was 3,414.

Compiled by David Batters