CAMBRIDGE United have had the heart ripped out of their midfield ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup second round meeting with York City.

Former Minstermen trialist Jai Reason and Paul Carden, who have been ever-presents in the centre of Cambridge’s midfield this season, will both be suspended for the Abbey Stadium clash after being shown their fifth yellow cards of the campaign during Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw at Rushden and Diamonds.

With Jon Challinor also unable to be recalled having only been sent out on loan to Mansfield last week, U’s boss Martin Ling is severely short of options in the middle of the park.

Ling has already confirmed that 18-year-old Sam Ives will be handed his full debut there, having scored two goals against Forest Green as a substitute earlier this season.

Who will partner him, though, is a head-scratching dilemma for Ling.

At 23, Ben Farrell is the most-experienced contender although he has been completely frozen out since Ling’s arrival and has been restricted to five senior starts in 2009/10 during a loan spell with fellow Blue Square Premier rivals Histon.

Right-back Rory McAuley, who turned 20 last month, is otherwise a makeshift possibility.

Better news for Ling sees Anthony Tonkin and Robbie Willmott available again after serving one-match bans.

Tonkin will replace teenager Darryl Coakley at left-back, while Willmott is expected to be preferred on the right flank to former Tranmere winger Andy Parkinson.

Cambridge have dropped away from play-off contention and are currently 11th in the Blue Square Premier table, having only won two of their last ten league matches – a run that started with their 2-2 draw at Bootham Crescent in September.

Only Oxford (39), though, have scored more league goals than varsity rivals Cambridge, whose tally of 36 does not include their seven FA Cup efforts against Lincoln United (3-1) and Ebbsfleet (4-0).

Cambridge’s goal haul of 23 at home also places them just one behind top two Oxford and Stevenage, although Barrow (2-0), Crawley (1-0), Luton (4-3) and Kettering (2-0) have all left the Abbey Stadium with maximum points this term.

Chris Holroyd is the U’s top scorer with 15 goals, one behind Blue Square Premier leading marksman Richard Brodie, but has failed to net in the last three matches.

The U’s last reached the third round stage in 2008, pushing Wolves close in a 2-1 defeat at Molyneux.

Cambridge (probable): Potter, Gleeson, Saah, Hatswell, Tonkin, Willmott, Ives, McAuley, Pitt, Holroyd, Crow. Subs: Walker, Parkinson, Phillips, Marriott, Coulson, Farrell, Patrick.

Match facts

This is the first time the clubs have met in cup football.

City are making their 43rd appearance in the second round of the FA Cup.

Their biggest victories at this stage have been 5-2 at Dorchester Town in 1954/5 and 3-0 at home to Scarborough in 1978/9.

City have gone on to reach round three 25 times but only three times since 1985/6.

In 1996/7 they won at Preston North End in the second round before losing at Hednesford.

In successive seasons (2000/1 and 2001/2) they beat Reading in the second round and in the former campaign lost at Leicester City at the next stage. The following season they went on to beat Grimsby Town before losing at home to Fulham in the fourth round.

City’s last appearance in the second round was in 2002/3.

On December 1, 2002, they lost 2-1 at Bootham Crescent to Brentford in front of 3,517. Lee Bullock was the scorer and the line-up was: Fettis, Edmondson, Potter, Brass, Parkin, Hobson, Fox, Bullock, Nogan, Duffield, Brackstone.

It happened on November 28

1936: In the first round of the FA Cup Hull City were beaten 5-2 at Bootham Crescent watched by 7,783. Alf Agar hit a hat-trick with Albert Thompson scoring twice.

1964: A 3-2 win at Crewe Alexandra and City were fifth in Division Four. The marksmen were Derek Weddle, Norman Wilkinson and Paul Aimson.

1978: In a first round FA Cup replay, City won 5-3 at Blyth Spartans with Barry Wellings, Andy Clements, Gary Ford, Kevin Randall and Gordon Staniforth on the score-sheet.

1992: City beat Crewe Alexandra 3-1 at home with Paul Atkin scoring twice. Ian Blackstone was the other marksman and the crowd was 4,190. With 12 wins and two draws in 16 games, City were clear leaders of Division Three (League Two).

1998: A 1-1 draw at Bootham Crescent against Northampton Town. Richard Cresswell was on target and the attendance was 2,656. It was the ninth League game without victory and City were in the bottom half of Division Two (League One).

Compiled by David Batters