A RAFT of 'firsts' awaits York City tomorrow evening (7pm) as they take on AFC Fylde at the LNER Community Stadium.

It is, of course, the first game to be played at the new stadium at Monks Cross, and with that will come a series of noteworthy events. City fans will be hoping these comprise a first goal, clean sheet and win.

But Tuesday will also be the first competitive meeting between York and Fylde.

A relatively young side, Fylde only became thus known after winning the FA Vase in 2008, when they were still a North West Counties League division two (Step 6) side. During the years after they were founded in 1988, they were known as Kirkham & Wesham.

Fylde were immediately a team on the up and, following a series of promotions, rose to the National League in 2016/17 as National League North champions after two consecutive unsuccessful years in the play-offs. Their ascension to Step 2 coincided with York's drop into National League North.

Last season's relegation to the North division (on points per game) was the first time the Coasters have dropped a division while playing under the moniker of AFC Fylde.

Fylde have started term strongly and made a decent case for another play-off spot, opening the campaign with four wins on the bounce and accruing 20 points from their opening nine fixtures. They sit third with 27 points from 14 games, eight points and four games behind leaders Gloucester City.

The last month of 2020 has proved the most challenging so far for the Lancashire outfit, who twice threw away a lead in a 3-3 draw with Bradford (Park Avenue) on December 1 before suffering back-to-back defeats at Hereford and Chorley.

They bounced back in the New Year, keeping two clean sheets and scoring six in victories over Chorley and Telford.

With six goals this season, Ben Tollitt is Fylde's top scorer. The 26-year-old midfielder netted a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Chorley.

Former City loanee Kurt Willoughby has found the net once in his 10 appearances this campaign, though half of those have come off the bench.

Like York, tomorrow is set to be Fylde's first game in over a month following the two-week suspension to Step 2 league activity. The Coasters have also been frustrated in their efforts to get back to action by scheduled opposition Guiseley and (most recently) Gateshead refusing to play, while their game against Chester - sandwiched in between those two - fell to the weather.