ADRIANO Moke has been challenged to deliver a “big season” for York City.

The 27-year-old midfielder kicked off the season in the Minstermen’s starting line-up during Saturday’s National League North curtain-raiser, having been in and out of the first XI during two stints at Bootham Crescent under Gary Mills.

Moke has made 29 starts, along with 30 substitute appearances for City, but Mills, who has suggested the former Glenn Hoddle Academy graduate has often produced his best displays from the bench, has insisted he begins the new campaign with his manager’s full faith and an opportunity to earn regular selection.

The most starts Moke has managed previously in a season is 31 for Macclesfield in 2014/15 and Mills wants him up there challenging to be one of the club’s ever-presents this term, despite pointing out that he could have performed better during the 1-0 home defeat to Telford at the weekend.

“He didn’t get on the ball enough for my liking, even when we changed things and dropped him a bit deeper, where he operates well,” Mills reasoned of Moke’s display. “I’ve had a good chat with him in pre-season when he was probably one of our best performers, but this is a big season for him.

“I’ve given him the start and told him that, as long as he does what I know he can do, he will be playing in my side this season. He’s not had enough seasons where he can say I played every game and it would be nice for us and him to look at the stats and see that he’s made 48 appearances and all of them were starts.

“At the minute, since coming back over the summer, he’s done really well and I’m pleased with him, but he’s got to continue that.”

Moke is set to retain his place for tomorrow night’s trip to Blyth Spartans, although centre-back Hamza Bencherif is doubtful with the back problem that caused him to be substituted on Saturday and Michael Rankine (hamstring) will be missing again.

If Bencherif is absent, former Peterhead defender Jaseem Sukar could be handed his City debut with Mills calling on his back-line to focus when the clock is ticking down for half-time and the final whistle after Matthew Barnes-Homer’s 44th-minute winner hinted at a habit he wants to quickly eradicate.

“We conceded just before half-time on Saturday and we’ve got to cut that out, because we did the same against Notts County in pre-season in the 45th and 90th minutes and you’ve got to concentrate right to the end of both halves,” Mills explained.

“Telford’s goal gave them a big lift. If the cross hadn’t gone into our box, then the worst thing that would have happened is a corner and Hamza (Bencherif) will be disappointed he didn’t stop the ball. 

“After that, we needed to be first to it in the six-yard box, but that’s all about the basics, so we’re not going to lose sleep over it. We’ve got the players and experience to respond and we won’t be worrying about losing a football match on Saturday because, if you do that too much, you’ll go and lose another one.

“We will give everything, play how we can and, hopefully, when the chances come along, we’ll put the ball in net. But, whether that’s from an inch or 18 yards, that’s always the hardest thing to do in the game.

“If you don’t take your chance then what happened on Saturday can happen – that’s football. We had one of those days where it didn’t quite come off.

“Goals change games and, if we’d taken one of our first-half chances, we maybe would have gone on to get two or three.”