Match preview; York City v Ebbsfleet - FA Trophy third round (From York Press)

Match preview; York City v Ebbsfleet - FA Trophy third round

11:00am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

Ebbsfleet United’s Callum Willock

FREE-SCORING Ebbsfleet midfielder Michael West is expected to delay a hernia operation to take part in tomorrow’s FA Trophy last 16 clash at York City.

West, who missed Fleet’s 3-2 league defeat against a ten-man City side at Bootham Crescent a fortnight ago, requires surgery but is keen to play a part in the third round tie.

Having claimed 23 goals during the Kent club’s promotion from the Blue Square Bet South last season, the 20-year-old midfielder has netted eight times this term despite being restricted in recent games by his injury and manager Liam Daish is expected to call on his services again in North Yorkshire.

That could leave former City midfielder Neil Barrett struggling to retain his starting place.

Barrett was replaced midway through the second half of Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat to Mansfield by Ricky Shakes, who is back in contention for a first XI spot after a spell sidelined by injury.

Knee problems, though, mean fellow midfielders Ram Marwa and Gianoulis Fakinos are both ruled out – the latter for the remainder of the season.

Forward Jamie Darvill has also left Stonebridge Road this week to take up a college scholarship in the United States, while out-of-favour centre-back Ian Simpemba has been sold to Dover and reserve goalkeeper Joe Welch has joined Bromley on loan.

The one arrival before Tuesday’s transfer deadline was Reading’s 18-year-old striker Gozie Ogwu, who is a regular in the Royals’ reserve team and is expected to be included on the bench tomorrow.

Striker Nathaniel Pinney, who netted against the Minstermen in last month’s league match, has also had his loan spell from Crystal Palace extended until the end of the season and defender Yado Mambo’s parent club Charlton have agreed to carry on reviewing his work experience placement with the Fleet on a month-to-month basis.

Pinney and Liam Enver-Marum are expected to flank 17-goal top scorer Callum Willock in a three-pronged strike force against the Minstermen.

Former Stevenage and Crawley striker Willock, now 30, has scored in both of this season’s Blue Square Bet Premier fixtures against City.

Mid-table Fleet have beaten lower division opponents at the first time of asking in their previous Trophy games, triumphing 5-2 at Truro before dispatching Chester 3-2.

Daish’s men also have a proud record in the competition, having beaten Torquay 1-0 in the 2008 final and reached the last four the following season before losing to Stevenage, who went on to defeat Martin Foyle’s City team at Wembley.

Team (probable): Edwards, Stone, Lorraine, Mambo, Howell, Shakes, West, Phipp, Pinney, Willock, Enver-Marum.

Match facts

THIS is the first time the clubs have met in cup football.

Ebbsfleet won the FA Trophy in 2007/8 when they beat Torquay United 1-0 at Wembley in front of more than 40,000 and in their side that day was former City player Neil Barrett.

In the semi-final Torquay had beaten City 2-1 on aggregate.

The following season Ebbsfleet lost in the semi-final to Stevenage Borough, who went on to beat City in the final.

It happened on February 4

1933: A 4-3 home win over Rotherham United with Peter Spooner (2), Reg Baines and Tom Maskill on the scoresheet in Division Three North, watched by 3,237.

1950: Ron Spence hit a hat-trick, including two penalties, in a 5-0 win over Wrexham at Bootham Crescent in front of 3,976. Alf Patrick netted the other two goals and City were near the foot of the Northern Section.

1956: Arthur Bottom scored from the penalty spot in a 1-1 home draw against Workington. The crowd for this Northern Section encounter was 6,790.

1967: A 1-1 draw against Chester at Bootham Crescent with Tommy Spencer on target. City were in the bottom four of the Fourth Division and the attendance was 3,094.

1984: In a game featured on BBC’s Match Of The Day, Fourth Division leaders City lost 3-0 at Blackpool, ending a run of nine league games unbeaten (eight wins, one draw) including five successive away victories.

1989: Ian Helliwell scored in a Fourth Division 1-0 win at Hartlepool United.

Compiled by Dave Batters