YORK City utility man Sean Newton is hoping for a rainy day as he runs out on to Harlow Town’s 3G pitch tomorrow.

The Liverpool-born, 28-year-old played for previous club Wrexham on a similar surface during a 2-2 draw at Maidstone on a wet afternoon back in September.

He feels such conditions make artificial turf more manageable although, with City tailoring their training schedule accordingly this week, Newton added that the team should be prepared for the challenge in Essex.

“These pitches are part of football now,” he reasoned. “I never thought I’d have to play a professional game on one, but it’s where we’re at.

“It helps out clubs who can’t afford to have games postponed and you have to deal with them. They are easier to play on if it’s wet but, if it’s dry, the ball bounces differently and doesn’t really kick on and the game can become more of a battle.

“I played at Maidstone for Wrexham this season and, luckily, on the day, it was a nice, zippy, surface and you could move the ball around, as well as you could on grass. Hopefully, we’ll get a moist day at Harlow, but we’ve trained hard on the same type of surface this week so there can’t be any excuses.”

Nor will Newton be under-estimating the mid-table hosts, who ply their part-time trade two levels below the Minstermen.

“I don’t know much about them, but I know they’ve got a few former league players and some who have played at the highest level, so it won’t be easy,” the former Barrow defender declared. “Any game at any place will be tough if you turn up and disrespect the opposition, so we’ve got to treat it like we’re playing somebody in our league and, then, if we keep a clean sheet and get a few goals, that can give us confidence going into the next league game.”

Newton has only ever reached the last 16 of the Trophy during previous outings in the competition with Chester, Droylsden, Barrow, Telford, Stockport, Lincoln and Wrexham.

His experiences of Wembley, meanwhile, have been limited to spectating and, on the prospect of running out on the hallowed turf should City go on to reach the final, he enthused: “Some Premier League players don’t get that opportunity.

“The manager has won it before and I want a part of that too. I’ve been to watch the Conference play-off final there between Cambridge and Torquay and I’d love to play there to see what it feels like. It’s a great day out for the fans as well.”

Newton went on to suggest that he is happy to share set-piece responsibilities with Simon Lappin after the pair provided the corner and free kick respectively that led to City’s goals during the 2-2 draw at Dover last weekend.

Former Norwich midfielder Lappin had taken the majority of the dead-ball deliveries in Kent, prior to Newton swinging a 77th-minute free kick on to the head of Shaun Rooney for the visitors’ second equaliser and, on the reason for the set-play switch, Newton explained: “I took it because Laps was already high up the pitch and looking for a loose ball on the edge of the box.

“I don’t generally try to hit a person and there was just space between the keeper and the 18-yard box, so I tried to drop it there, knowing that one of our players could get a run on their defenders and get to it. Roon did and it was a great header.

“It’s funny how things like that work out. Maybe, if Laps had taken it, we wouldn’t have scored and, maybe, with his age, he might not have been able to kick it that far.

“Seriously, though, he’s been absolutely frightening with his deliveries since he’s come here and we look dangerous from set-plays.”

Newton’s next personal challenge is to get on the scoresheet himself, having failed to take a glorious one-on-one opportunity in Kent, meaning he is yet to open his Minstermen account after 11 appearances.

“I should have hit it first time,” he admitted of his early chance. “In the warm-up, I had put about six in the top corner but, then, in the first minute, I go through on goal and take a touch that saw the ball bounce up, hit my shin and then get away from me.

“I should have had eight goals since I came here and they’re not going in for some reason but, hopefully, they soon will do.”