RUSS Wilcox has challenged his York City players to create the kind of special memories he has enjoyed in the FA Cup.

The Minstermen chief was Brian Laws' assistant when Scunthorpe took and held the lead at Jose Mourinho's Chelsea for 18 minutes during a third round tie in January 2005.

Replies from Mateja Kesman and Eidur Gujohnsen, coupled with an Andy Crosby own goal, went on to earn the Stamford Bridge giants, who also included Arjen Robben, Didier Drogba, Glenn Johnson and Joe Cole in their ranks that afternoon, a 3-1 victory over the Iron.

Future Minstermen Paul Musselwhite and Michael Rankine also featured in that game for the visitors and, ahead of Saturday's first round home tie against AFC Wimbledon, Wilcox is well aware of the potential career highlights progress in the world's most famous knockout competition can present for lower-league professionals.

The former Northampton and Doncaster centre back said: "I've got good memories of the competition and actually scored a few FA Cup goals as a player. I remember getting one for Hull City at Morecambe.

"As a coach, we went to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with Scunthorpe and went in front there. We also had a couple more great chances to go 2-0 up before losing 3-1.

"Jose Mourinho then invited all of us in the dressing room afterwards and we raided it, taking their boots and everything, but he was happy for us to do that."

This weekend's visitors boast Sky Bet League Two's deadliest strikeforce in Matt Tubbs and Adebayo Akinfenwa, who have plundered nine and eight goals respectively this term.

On the threat posed by that pair, Wilcox added: "They are a very potent front two, certainly at this level. I worked with Matt Tubbs at Bournemouth and know everything about him.

"He's a great finisher who plays well off a big man and there are not many bigger than Akinfenwa, who is a good player too. He has a good touch and holds the ball up well.

"He's also good in the air and a major threat when the ball comes into your box. From goal kicks and dead balls, we will need to be in front of him to stop him taking control of the ball, getting it on his chest and linking things up.

"Ideally, you also want to squeeze him up the pitch and push him further away from your box. We will need to be on our guard with those two but we can cause our own problems and the best way to stop the opposition is keeping the ball off them.

"They are a big, powerful side, so we will need to move the ball around quickly and get it in those wide areas where we have pace."

The return of striker Diego De Girolamo to parent club Sheffield United and Burnley's refusal to allow on-loan goalkeeper Alex Cisak to play for City in the Cup means the hosts will be forced into two changes from the side that started last weekend's 1-0 league win at Cheltenham.

Jake Hyde looks the favourite to replace De Girolamo, although joint-top scorer Wes Fletcher is also in contention having missed the last five matches with hamstring trouble.

The long-serving Michael Ingham is set to be recalled with Cisak unavailable and Wilcox is pleased with the competition he has now within his squad, explaining: "It's great for a manager to have selection issues and players are looking over their shoulders."

Wilcox also revealed that he does not envisage any problems in retaining Cisak's services when his initial loan stay is up for renewal later this month.

"I haven't spoken about that yet but I know (Burnley manager) Sean Dyche and (goalkeeper coach) Billy Mercer well and I'm hoping it wouldn't be an issue if we ask for an extension because, as a keeper, they can call him back at any stage anyway. He also needs to play games so it can tick boxes for all three parties - ourselves, Alex and Burnley."

The City boss is still hoping, meanwhile, that De Girolamo's recall to Bramall Lane will only prove temporary.

"It was a big shock when Sheffield United took him back because it came only three or four days after Sheffield United had agreed to extend his loan but it shows how quickly football can change," Wilcox reasoned. "They have picked up a couple of injuries but, hopefully, after their two cup games, he will be able to come back, but who knows?

"If he goes there and plays like he has done for us, he will probably stay. He's a Sheffield United player but it would be fantastic if we can get him back in the building."

City have a clean bill of health ahead of the Wimbledon game following last weekend's virus with skipper Russ Penn, the worst-affected player, returning to training today.

Wilcox, meanwhile, has expressed his belief that the use of artificial pitches in the Football League will become a reality in the future despite a proposal to re-introduce them for willing League One and Two clubs being vetoed.

A vote, held during todays's Football League EGM, ended 34-34 but Wilcox admitted: "They are probably the way forward for lower-league clubs as they generate money because you can use them 24-7 and there's no maintenance needed. It makes a lot of sense from that perspective.

"As a player, I wasn't a big fan of artificial surfaces at all and it was a big disadvantage when I was at Northampton and we used to go to Preston. That was a long time ago though and the surfaces have improved a lot. Some are soil-based now and superb."