FORMER York City defender Duane Courtney is due to face his old team at Bootham Crescent tonight despite limping off towards the end of Tamworth’s 3-0 home defeat to Fleetwood on Saturday.

Courtney – the Lambs’ man of the match against the Cod Army – is believed to have recovered from the knock and, despite playing most of his difficult spell with the Minstermen at right-back, is set to retain his place in the centre of the visitors’ defence.

The one-time Kidderminster full-back, who recently signed a new one-and-a-half year extension at the Staffordshire club, will line up alongside skipper Paul Green at the heart of Tamworth’s defence with the manager Marcus Law poised to field an unchanged starting XI.

Fellow defenders Scott Barrow and Sam Oji remain sidelined, while midfielder Danny Thomas is also doubtful.

Top scorer Iyseden Christie, meanwhile, is unlikely to play any part this evening.

Ten-goal Christie has not netted since New Year’s Day and was not even among the substitutes at the weekend with Kieron St Aimee a more likely candidate to break up Law’s current three-pronged strikeforce of Jean-Paul Marna, Rico Taylor and Kyle Patterson.

Despite losing 11 and winning just two of their last 15 games, the Lambs lie 13 points clear of the relegation zone but 18 adrift of the play-off positions.

The Lambs have also only won one of their last ten Blue Square Bet Premier away fixtures – a 1-0 triumph at Cambridge in January.

Tamworth (probable): Hedge, Tait, Green, Courtney, Habergham, McCoy, McDonald, Isaac, Marna, Taylor, Patterson.

Match facts

THE Lambs have made five previous Conference visits and honours are even with each club winning twice and one draw.

City won the first two meetings at York 2-0 in 2004/5 and 2-1 the following season, but since then Tamworth won 2-1 in 2006/7 and by a similar scoreline last term.

In 2009/10 the game finished 1-1, with Chris Smith netting their equaliser.

City’s line-up for this game on April 16, 2011, was: Ingham, Darville, C Smith, Parslow, Meredith, Chambers, J Smith (Constantine), Kerr, Till, Rankine (Boucaud), Reed (Carruthers).

It was Gary Mills’ first home league defeat and inflicted by his former club.

Along with Smith, others who have played for both clubs include Paul Barnes, Graeme Law, Duane Courtney and Ben Wilkinson.

It happened on March 6

1954: In Division Three North, City crashed 7-2 at Mansfield Town after being 6-0 down at half-time. Campbell Burgess and Ron Spence were the scorers.

1965: In a top of the table Division Four clash, City drew 0-0 at Bradford Park Avenue watched by 13,745.

1974: City were second in Division Three (League One) following a 4-1 victory over Bournemouth at Bootham Crescent in front of 10,392. On the mark were Chris Topping, Chris Jones, Barry Lyons (pen) and Jimmy Seal. In the visitors’ side was right winger Harry Redknapp.

1984: City marched on at the top of the Fourth Division with a 5-2 home win over Crewe Alexandra. The crowd was 4,106 and on the scoresheet were Keith Walwyn (2), John Byrne, Ricky Sbragia and Alan Pearce.

2001: Lee Nogan netted the goal in a 1-0 win at Southend United in Division Three (League Two).

2007: Northwich Victoria were beaten 2-1 at Bootham Crescent thanks to goals from Martyn Woolford and an opponent. The attendance was 2,192 and City were third in the Conference.

Compiled by David Batters