York City v Cheltenham Town: Travellers in mood for six of best run (From York Press)

York City v Cheltenham Town: Travellers in mood for six of best run

11:46am Friday 21st September 2012 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

CHELTENHAM Town will travel to York City hoping to extend their unbeaten run on the road to a sixth game.

Victories at Plymouth and Torquay at the tail end of 2011/12 have been followed by a 1-0 triumph over hosts Aldershot this term in between draws at Torquay (2-2) and Wycombe (1-1).

The Robins, last season’s League Two play-off finalists, did, however, end a run of three games without a win by defeating Oxford 2-1 at home on Tuesday night.

Skipper Alan Bennett came back from injury to play at centre-back for his first game of the season in that match and impressed despite giving away a penalty.

He will retain his place unless there is any adverse reaction to his previous calf problem and Cheltenham have no injuries or suspensions ahead of their trip to Bootham Crescent.

Manager Mark Yates may make one change to his side, though, with Chris Zebrowski expected to make way on the left wing for Kaid Mohammed, whose pace on the flanks is deemed more desirable for away fixtures.

Otherwise, Russ Penn could be a contender for the supporting central role behind lone striker Shaun Harrad but Sam Deering is more likely to continue in that position.

Harrad, on a season-long loan from Bury, is Cheltenham’s leading marksman with five goals from seven League outings – more than half of his team’s 2012/13 tally, but it is 21-year-old Marlon Pack who is earning rave reviews for the Gloucestershire club.

The former Portsmouth reserve is playing alongside fellow deep-lying midfielder Darren Carter in Yates’ 4-2-3-1 formation and has attracted attention from Championship teams.

Cheltenham (probable): Brown, Jombati, Bennett, Elliott, Jones, Pack, Carter, McGlashan, Deering, Mohammed, Harrad.

Match facts

Cheltenham boast a 100 per cent record at Bootham Crescent having won on their previous four Football League visits.

In 1999/2000, they beat City 2-1 and the following season won 2-0. Former City and Rowntree Mackintosh striker Neil Grayson scored three of their goals in these matches.

In 2001/02, Town won 3-1 and on their last visit on April 17, 2004, they triumphed 2-0. City’s line-up that day was: Ovendale, Wise, Smith, Hope, Edmondson, Brass (Ward), Wood, Dunning, Nogan (Cooper), Newby, George (Bell).

Along with Grayson, other players to have appeared for both clubs include Sam McNab, Mark Sertori and Paul Brayson, while John Ward managed both clubs City (1991 to ’93) and Cheltenham (2003 to ’07).

It happened on September 22

1958: City went to the top of the Fourth Division with a 4-0 home win over Crewe Alexandra. On the scoresheet were Colin Addison (2), Billy Hughes and Terry Farmer, watched by 6,989.

1962: In front of Bootham Crescent’s smallest crowd for 11 years – 2,986 – City lost 4-3 to Chesterfield in the Fourth Division. On target were Wally Gould, John Stainsby and Norman Wilkinson.

1973: Brian Pollard scored in a 1-1 draw at Watford in the Third Division (League One).

1990: Doncaster Rovers were beaten 3-1 at Bootham Crescent with goals from Ray Warburton, Ian Helliwell and Tony Canham. The attendance for the Fourth Division match was 3,743.

Compiled by David Batters