YORK City boss Gary Mills is hoping joint-top scorer Jon Parkin will “give it a go” on Sutton United’s 3G pitch this weekend.

Parkin, 35, sat out the Minstermen’s last match on an artificial surface, when he was only on the bench as an insurance policy and wasn’t required during the 2-1 FA Trophy victory at Harlow in January.

The former Hull and Stoke striker, whose brace against Eastleigh at the weekend moved him level on seven at the top of City’s scoring charts with the departed Richard Brodie, is not a fan of synthetic turf due to the wear and tear on his knees.

But, with the visitors needing points in their fight for National League survival, Mills ideally wants his attacking talisman available for selection.

The Minstermen are planning to hold training on one of York’s 3G pitches this Thursday in preparation for the trip to Gander Green Lane and Mills reasoned: “We’ll see about Jon.

“It was an issue before, but I want to get our best players out there, so I don’t really want to not be playing him. I don’t want to take risks with him either but, because he scored two at the weekend, I’ve got a little feeling that he might say I want to give it a go.”

City will select a strong reserve side, meanwhile, against Hartlepool this afternoon in a match that which will be staged at Bootham Crescent due to the boggy condition of the training ground.

Kick-off is 1pm with new signing Derwin Martina scheduled to don City colours for the first time and the likes of Shaun Rooney, Daniel Nti, Aidan Connolly, Luke Simpson, Scott Fenwick and Danny Holmes also set to feature.

“Derwin will be playing, along with the likes of Aidan Connolly, Scott Fenwick and Danny Holmes, because they need a game,” Mills explained. “I didn’t really want to risk getting any injuries before when we were playing youth-team players in the reserves, but I think they need run-outs now.

“We’ll maybe give them an hour or a bit longer and the good thing with reserve matches now is you can make as many substitutions as you want.”