YORK City will come up against National League North’s meanest away defence when tenth-placed Chorley visit Bootham Crescent tomorrow.

The Lancashire team have conceded just 17 times on their league travels this season, contributing to an overall goals-against column that is the division’s second best and just one more than that of third-placed title contenders Brackley.

Matt Jensen’s men are, though, currently on their longest run without a win on the road this season, having gone four games on the road since last tasting victory.

A tally of 67 goals from their 33 games is also the league’s lowest by a long stretch, with their total 23 less than the next team on that list – Brackley again.

That statistic is partly down to a record of 16 clean sheets from 40 fixtures in all competitions, but also illustrates the club’s shortcomings at the other end of the pitch. where last season’s beaten play-off finalists have failed to hit the target in 13 of those contests.

Josh Wilson, who bagged a brace in the Magpies’ 2-0 home triumph over the Minstermen back in September, is the team’s joint-top scorer this term on 11 goals, having netted 16 times for Telford last season.

His haul puts the 29-year-old, former Northwich, Vauxhall Motors, Guiseley, Halifax and Fylde forward level at the summit of the club’s charts with Nick Haughton, who spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Chorley from League One outfit Fleetwood Town, before moving to Salford in January.

Former City striker Jason Walker, now 34, has netted seven times for the first team this term, meanwhile, despite being a regular on the bench.

Walker also got the only goal during this week’s 1-0 Lancashire County Cup semi-final victory over Lancaster City to stake his claims for tomorrow’s starting XI.

Right-back Dale Whitham is suspended against the Minstermen as he starts a three-match ban, following his injury-time red card during last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat against Boston, while striker Khuis Metz is doubtful after limping out of that game and not featuring in midweek.

Former Accrington Stanley, Southampton and Morecambe winger Lee Molyneux could start, though, after making his debut against Lancaster following a loan switch from National League strugglers Guiseley last month.