IT might have been dubbed “El Crapico” and the “Tea Shop Derby” by some - both inside and outside this city’s walls - but Jonny Burn is relishing the chance to earn North Yorkshire bragging rights.

York City’s on-loan Bristol Rovers defender has not featured in too many local spats during his fledgling professional career but, ahead of this weekend’s Bootham Crescent clash against National League North title-challengers Harrogate Town, he admitted he has enjoyed the extra edge surrounding those he has experienced.

League One contests against Bury and eventual 2015/16 champions Wigan particularly stand out for Burn when, as a 20-year-old Middlesbrough reserve, he featured for Oldham on loan in Lancashire match-ups that both ended 1-1 and attracted 5,000-plus attendances.

On the added incentive provoked by such contests, Burn confessed: “The games at Oldham against Bury and Wigan were quite big derbies around Manchester.

“It was good to play in them and the atmosphere was immense so, hopefully, Saturday will be like that, because it gives you a massive lift when the supporters are behind you singing and shouting. The fans have been great since I’ve been here and, if they get behind us and keep supporting us, it pushes you on that little bit more.”

Harrogate have by far the best attacking record in the division, having plundered 90 league goals this term.

The Minstermen, meanwhile, have conceded more goals than nine National League North outfits, but Burn is paying little heed to such statistics and drawing confidence from February’s 1-0 home defeat of table-topping Salford.

“We’ll have to be on our toes, but it’s just a normal game that you have to approach the same and try to keep a clean sheet in,” Burn reasoned. “The win against Salford gave us a massive lift, because we know we can do that and beat the biggest and best teams, so we need to stick together again and get another three points.”

Burn also appreciates that anything other than maximum points against Harrogate could see City surrender the initiative in the current chase for seventh place and the final play-off position.

Victories for Chorley or Blyth against Telford and Kidderminster respectively would mean both clubs could go above Martin Gray’s team if they also fully capitalised on their game in hand.

“Harrogate are flying in the league, but we need three points to keep us in the running for the play-offs,” Burn stressed. “We need to go for it now, because there are teams around us with games in hand, so we need to keep winning.”

City have been unable to work on their waterlogged Wigginton Road training ground this week, but have been put through their paces on the 3G facilities at Clifton Moor and Burn also reckons the postponement of Easter Monday’s trip to FC United of Manchester could also benefit Saturday’s hosts.

“It was very disappointing to have a game called off, but it gave us time to rest, so we’ll be all fresh to go, whereas they’ve had an extra game,” he argued.

Having been an ever-present in the City line-up since his December arrival in North Yorkshire, Burn was left out of the starting XI for the first two matches of last month.

He was subsequently recalled as a member of a three-man defence for two games ago and is determined to avoid bench duty again, saying: “I had a little blip, but I worked hard in training to get myself back in the side and, hopefully, I can keep my place now.”