SIMON Helsop is in line for a York City recall at home to Stockport County on Saturday with manager Gary Mills expected to revert to 4-3-3.

The Minstermen employed a 3-4-3 formation during Tuesday night’s 4-2 win at Spennymoor, but Mills was a little concerned with his side’s struggle to stay on the offensive during a second period in which the hosts, having trailed 3-0 at the break, came close to gaining a point before Kaine Felix settled matters in stoppage time.

Heslop, who served a one-match ban in that match, is now set to slot back into the side with Jassem Sukar likely to drop out, while Josh Law and Alex Whittle both return to full-back duty.

On his tactical approach against Stockport, Mills said: “The way we played at Spennymoor worked for us in the first half, but we didn’t get out of our own half enough in the second and I prefer 4-3-3.

“I think it’s better for us attacking wise. We can get at teams and, if we play Sean Newton in that system, he’s more likely to score or create a goal and he prefers the system as well. It’s nice to have Hessie back, because he has plenty of energy and likes to get in the box. “He’s scored a couple of goals this season and we’ll have to decide whether we play two or three in midfield, as Theo (Wharton) did particularly well at Spennymoor, which was nice to see.”

Jon Worsnop, meanwhile, has recovered from the dead leg he suffered in midweek, although Mills is hoping he will enjoy a quieter afternoon against the Hatters, adding: “It was probably the busiest game he’s had this season.

“He made two or three important saves and I don’t want him to be worked that hard every week. But I thought Spennymoor were the best team we’ve played against this season so, to score four goals and come away with three points, was a good result.”

For the game against the team he was farmed out on loan to last season, midweek match-winner Felix is set to be on the bench again after scoring his first goal in 20 outings for the Minstermen.

Mills has now challenged the speedy 22-year-old to copy the composure of 199-goal talisman Jon Parkin, after being heartened by the former’s response to being transfer-listed at the end of last season.

“Kaine has reacted how a player should in his situation and is exactly the type of player you want around,” Mills pointed out. “He’s enjoying his football and enjoying being around us again.

“With the club having dropped down a level, he’s a handful for teams, but he’s just a little frustrating, as he needs to learn when to use his pace and not to panic when he goes through on goal, as he did with a couple of great chances at Blyth. As a forward, that calmness can dictate whether you become a good player or an excellent one, who goes on to have a career at a good level.

“Some players never step up because of that. Hopefully, with Kaine scoring, that will give him the confidence in front of goal to keep sticking the ball in the net. I think players these days want to be too precise by curling the ball around the keeper or putting it in the top corner, whereas somebody like Jon (Parkin) just gets his head down and hits the target.

“If the keeper saves it, then so be it. That’s probably been his attitude right through his career and why he’s got 199 goals and, hopefully, why he’ll get his 200th against Stockport if selected.

“As my great old manager (Brian Clough) once pointed out: ‘There’s only one thing that doesn’t move on a football pitch and that’s the goalposts.’ You just need to know where they are.”

A bumper crowd at Bootham Crescent is guaranteed for the visit of former Championship outfit Stockport, who lie just one position above their hosts on goal difference.

On the challenge ahead, Mills reasoned: “It’s a game between two teams desperate to get out of this league and back into the Football League as soon as possible. There will be a big crowd, as they get similar attendances to us and we’ve got to back up our away form with more points at home.

“We know that, if we beat them, we will go above them and that’s always a nice incentive. With Salford playing Brackley as well, that gap to the top might suddenly go down from nine points before Tuesday to five, which shows how quickly things can turn around.”