NORTHWICH Victoria will take on York City at KitKat Crescent tonight, looking to record their longest unbeaten run of the season.

The Cheshire strugglers have avoided defeat in their last three games, which is a sequence they have only matched once in the current campaign.

The 2-0 victory over Barrow to secure a Setanta Shield meeting with the Minstermen has been followed by a 2-2 home draw with Halifax and a share of the spoils in Saturday's goalless Blue Square Premier fixture at Kidderminster.

Northwich remain third-bottom, however, eight points from safety and with just three league wins - all bizarrely during a four-fixture hot streak from the end of November to Boxing Day that saw Rushden (1-0), Oxford (1-0) and Altrincham (2-1) all beaten.

The Vics' main problems have been in front of goal, having hit the target just 23 times in 29 matches.

Recently-released Minsterman Paul Brayson, who was Northwich's leading marksman for three successive seasons before his arrival at KitKat Crescent in the summer, has been sorely missed.

But former Manchester United trainee Aaron Burns has given Northwich a greater cutting edge.

Burns, 20, left Old Trafford for Cardiff at the end of last season but the move did not work out and, since October, he has been playing for FC United in the UniBond League and biding his time until the transfer window reopened.

He scored eight goals in 14 matches before Northwich signed him last month and he has already become the club's joint-top league marksman.

Burns has scored three from three starts, including a brace against Halifax, a tally only equalled by experienced duo Lee Steele and Paul Tait.

Former Shrewsbury and Leyton Orient forward Steele, now 34, could be on the bench tonight despite not playing a game since New Year's Day because of hamstring trouble while Tait had his contract terminated last week.

Dino Maamria is the Vics' third manager of a turbulent season, in which the club also narrowly avoided closure.

The ex-Stevenage and Southport striker took over from caretaker boss Paul Warhurst after Neil Redfearn lasted just nine games.

Maamria is still registered as a player but, working with no assistant or first-team coach, he has not featured on the pitch since October.

During that time, he has brought in 18 new faces and Northwich have used a staggering 46 different players during 2007/2008.

Joining Burns during the transfer window have been Michael Bowler, Matt Crowell and Michael Roddy who have signed from Football League trio Stockport, Wrexham and Lincoln respectively.

Halifax defender Cortez Belle and Blackpool goalkeeper Lewis Edge have also been recruited on loan.

Simon Rusk, meanwhile, has departed for KitKat Crescent and Richard Battersby joined relegation rivals Altrincham.

Edge will continue in goal with Scott Tynan requiring a knee operation.

Striker John Allan is still absent after breaking his leg more than a year ago.


Match facts: City v Northwich

* The Vics have made one previous cup visit to York and that was on December 17, 2005 when they won an FA Trophy first round match 2-1. John Allan scored twice for the visitors from the penalty spot, while Andy Bishop netted for City in front of a crowd of 1,372.


It happened on February 6

1954: A 2-1 home win over Chester with Dave Dunmore and Campbell Burgess the scorers. It was Dunmore's last game for the club prior to his transfer to Tottenham Hotspur. City were 18th in Division Three North and the crowd was 3,960.

1965: Derek Weddle, Paul Aimson and Billy Rudd scored in a 3-0 home win over Stockport County and City were third in Division Four. The attendance was 5,788.

1971: A 2-2 draw at Exeter City with Kevin McMahon scoring both goals. City were midtable in the Fourth Division and this was the start of a 16-match unbeaten run.

1988: City suffered their fifth successive defeat when they lost 3-2 at home to Port Vale and remained at the bottom of Division Three (League One). Gary Himsworth and Dale Banton scored and the crowd was 2,420.

1993: Tony Canham scored in a 1-1 draw at Shrewsbury and City were third in Division Three (League Two).

Stats - David Batters