YORK Minster Engineering League representative squad managers Chris Smith and Simon Wood will be checking out new faces and possibly formations when the trophy-seeking team meet the Humberside League on Tuesday.

The YMEL XI are gearing up for an FA Inter-League Cup quarter-final against the Staffordshire County League on Saturday, February 17.

But they have been rocked by injuries to Jonny Andrew, who was ruled out prior to the Reps' second-round tie, and Old Malton St Mary's player Damon Cox.

Tuesday night's friendly at Pocklington Town's ground, The Balk (kick-off 7.30pm), allows Smith and Wood a warm-up outing prior to the knockout clash - and their fact-finding mission does not end at home, with Smith also hoping to speak to Staffordshire's last opponents, the Lincolnshire League, to get some pointers.

League spokesman Bill Pearce said: "Whatever the result (of the cup tie), the squad and managers are to be congratulated for the progress they have made.

"This is only the second time the league has entered this competition so they have done really well and hopefully will gain good experience going forward for both the league and their respective clubs."

YMEL stormed into the quarter-finals thanks to a resounding 8-1 win over the Chester & Wirral League last month.

Andy Simpson and sub Marcus Godsell both bagged braces, with Cox, Chris Dyson, man-of-the-match Chris Bilton and Scott Nicholls with a 35-yard wonder goal joining them on the scoresheet.

The Staffordshire League made it to the last-eight stage after they reversed a two-goal half-time deficit against Lincolnshire to level matters with two minutes remaining, and net a further three times without reply in extra time for a 5-2 win.

Tuesday's opponents, Humberside, meanwhile, were knocked out of the Inter-League Cup in the second round by the North Riding League, losing 5-1 at home.

Should York overcome Staffordshire in the cup, in a tie to be played at Harrogate Town's CNG Stadium (kick-off 3pm), they will be met in the semi-finals by any one of the North Riding League, the Isle of Man League, the Amateur Football Combination, the Thames Valley Premier League, the Essex & Suffolk Border League and the Kent County League.