LUTON Town star striker Amari Morgan-Smith is suspended for tomorrow’s clash with York City at Bootham Crescent.

Leading marksman Morgan-Smith, who has netted seven times this season, was shown his fifth yellow card of 2011/12 during Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw against nine-man Bath, incurring a one-match ban in the process.

The former Ilkeston forward, who fired Luton in front at a Bath team who had Charlie Clough and Paul Stonehouse sent off on 40 and 88 minutes respectively, is also likely to be joined by eight of his team-mates on the sidelines.

Defender Dean Beckwith will be serving the second of a three-game suspension while fellow centre-backs George Pilkington and Shane Blackett are injured.

Crocked quintet Keith Keane, Curtis Osano, Dan Gleeson, Freddie Murray and Charlie Henry also remain doubtful with the Hatters’ injury problems illustrated by the fact that winger James Dance and striker Aaron O’Connor were both asked to play at right-back during different stages of the Bath match.

O’Connor could now deputise for Morgan-Smith in attack while former City loan defender Janos Kovacs will start against his old club having been recalled from Hereford for a second spell with the Bedfordshire side.

Midfielder Alex Lawless, recently made captain of the team, will also return to North Yorkshire having scored once in nine outings for Town this term.

Luton go into tomorrow’s game top of the Blue Square Bet Premier table, still unbeaten and boasting the best goals for and against records in the division.

The 1988 League Cup winners have, in fact, not been beaten over 90 minutes in 16 matches since Jamie Reed’s goal earned the Minstermen maximum points during a 1-0 win the last time the two sides met at Bootham Crescent back in April.

AFC Wimbledon did, however, defeat the Hatters on penalties in the play-off final during that period.

Despite being unbeaten this term, Luton have also drawn half of their ten matches.

On the road, Gary Brabin’s men and Stockport are the only sides in non-League football’s highest echelon yet to taste defeat.

But, while Stockport have drawn all five of their fixtures on the road, Luton have won just once at Telford 2-0 and shared the spoils in the others against Bath (1-1), Stockport (1-1), Hayes (2-2) and Mansfield (1-1).

Luton (probable): Tyler, Keane, Antwi, Kovacs, Howells, Dance, Lawless, Hand, Willmott, O’Connor, Fleetwood.

Match facts

Since Luton Town dropped out of the Football League in 2009 the clubs have met six times, including promotion play-off encounters, and City have won three times with two draws.

At Bootham Crescent, City can boast two wins and a draw and have kept a clean sheet on each occasion.

In 2009/10, the league match ended goalless and in the play-off game Richard Brodie was the match-winner.

The corresponding fixture last term was decided by a Jamie Reed goal and the line-up on April 19, 2011, was: Ingham, Darville, Parslow (Carruthers), C Smith, Meredith, Kerr, Barrett (Till), J Smith, Chambers, Constantine (Mackin), Reed.

In the Football League, the Hatters made seven trips with City winning once – 5-1 in 1996/7 – and drawing three times.

Among the players who have represented both clubs are Jimmy Weir, Jim Goldie, Viv Busby, Rob Matthews, Lee Nogan, Liam George, Luke Graham and currently Janos Kovacs, Alex Lawless and Jason Walker.

It happened on September 24

1938: Wrexham were beaten 1-0 at Bootham Crescent with Bob Mortimer the scorer watched by 6,018.

1955: City drew 0-0 at Workington and were fourth in Division Four.

1960: Colin Addison hit a hat trick in a 4-0 home win over Workington in front of 6,104 and were in the top half of the Fourth Division.

1974: A 0-0 draw at Bristol City and City were mid-table in Division Two (Championship).

1988: Ian Helliwell netted the goal in a 1-0 win at Peterborough United and City moved off the bottom of the Fourth Division.

Compiled by David Batters