PLAY-OFF chasers Accrington Stanley will go into Easter Monday's home clash against York City keen to stretch their unbeaten run at the Crown Ground to a 12th game.

John Coleman's men last lost a home match on December 18 - a 3-0 defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge - but have since beaten runaway leaders Barnet (4-1) and play-off hopefuls Morecambe, as well as holding fellow high-fliers Halifax and Hereford to draws on their own soil.

But Accrington will be without joint top-scorer Lee McEvilly for Monday's duel.

The ex-Rochdale striker has plundered 20 goals for Stanley this season but will be completing a three-match ban for a red card elbowing incident.

But City will still need to halt McEvilly's 20-goal striking partner Paul Mullin.

Ex-City player Rory Prendergast is also likely to start on the left wing. Prendergast, now 25, is nearing double figures this season and was Accrington's Supporters Club's Player of the Year in 2003/2004.

At the other end another former Minsterman, Paul Crichton, who left KitKat Crescent after an argument with City supporters, is expected to be in goal.

Match points

City made 24 Football League visits to Peel Park, the home of the old Accrington Stanley club. They had a poor record there winning just three times, drawing three and losing 18, scoring 22 goals to 60 against.

City's three successes at Accrington were 2-1 in 1937/38, 2-1 in 1946/47 and 3-1 in 1955/56, Clive Colbridge (2) and Arthur Bottom scoring in the latter.

The heaviest defeats were 5-0 in 1932/33 and 7-2 in 1935/36.

City's last League visit to Accrington was on April 19, 1961 when they went down 2-0 in a Fourth Division fixture. The side was: Forgan, Bingley, Howe, Woods, Jackson, Fountain, Hughes, Hoggart, Wilkinson, Weir, Gould.

When the clubs met on Easter Monday 1955 (April 11) the match drew a record League crowd of 15,598 to Peel Park. At the time Stanley were Division Three (North) leaders and City fourth and the match resulted in a 2-2 draw.

Players to have represented both clubs include Tom Lockie, Alex Hamilton, Sid Storey, Ian Blackstone and currently Rory Prendergast.

It Happened on March 28

1932: Reg Baines netted a hat-trick in a 5-3 Easter Monday win at Rochdale. Peter Spooner and Tom Fenoughty were the other scorers. City, who had beaten the Lancashire club 5-2 at Fulfordgate on Good Friday, were eighth in Division Three (North).

1953: City gained their first home win since Boxing Day when they beat Darlington 3-0 with Billy Fenton (2) and Alf Patrick the scorers. The crowd was 5,453 and City were sixth in the Northern section. It was Alf Patrick's last senior goal for the club. In total he netted 117 goals in 241 league and cup games.

1970: Paul Aimson scored a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Brentford at Bootham Crescent. Phil Boyer hit the other goal and City were 14th in Division Four.

1999: A run of 11 games without a win (two draws and nine defeats) ended with a 2-1 victory at Lincoln. Marc Williams scored both goals and City moved up to 17th in Division Two.

Compiled by David Batters

Updated: 09:15 Saturday, March 26, 2005