YORK City fear no team ahead of today’s FA Trophy semi-final draw, according to manager Gary Mills.

The Minstermen joined play-off rivals Luton Town, relegation-threatened Newport and Isthmian League surprise package Wealdstone in the last four of the competition following Saturday’s 1-0 win at Grimsby.

A rare Scott Kerr goal clinched City victory over a Mariners team that had won ten and drawn one of their previous 11 outings and Mills is confident that his players remain undaunted by any challenge available in the highest echelon of non-League football.

He said: “Saturday’s win was a great response after losing to Gateshead in the previous game. You cannot worry about a defeat or be afraid going into the next match and there was no fear in the team at Grimsby.

“When we lose, it’s never the end of the world and it doesn’t effect us. You can’t let it effect you or feel sorry for yourselves if you want to achieve things and I thought we were exceptional and superb.

“It was Grimsby’s first defeat for a long time and I believe we deserved to go through. We’re never afraid of anyone and that’s not me being arrogant or anything.

“It feels fantastic to be in the semi-finals. We’ve had a bit of an iffy time but we’ve shown great character during that spell and god help the rest of the division when we come out of this iffy spell because we are still in the play-off places and in the semi-finals of the Trophy.”

Kerr scored his first goal in 52 appearances for City with an 83rd-minute header but Mills is not backing against him adding to that effort before the end of the campaign, having encouraged the former Lincoln captain to get into the penalty box more.

The Minstermen chief added: “He’s 5ft 7in but he got on the end of a cross and I’m delighted for him. He’s been great for us and he deserves to celebrate getting the goal that’s put us through to the semi-finals.

“We said he would never score this season and he’s shot with his left foot and shot with his right foot but now we’ve found out his secret weapon. We changed things a bit and gave him the licence to get in the box because he’s been a bit like a dog on a leash recently.

“He wants to get in there and we took the leash off on Saturday because we knew one of the other players would cover for him and it worked. It’s the first time we’ve done that and it worked okay so I’d like to think he might get another goal this season.”

Mills sprung a surprise by including Kerr alongside Paddy McLaughlin and left-back James Meredith in a three-man midfield at Blundell Park.

Aussie defender Meredith was preferred to Scott Brown after being left out of the previous two games, with Mills saying: “It was hard for me to leave James Meredith out but, wherever he plays, it’s down to him.

“He picks himself if he plays how he can play because he’s a quality player but he’s got to consistently be the best player out there. We changed it in the middle and he was strong, played on the front foot and won a lot of ball.

“We put him in there because we wanted to win more second balls. He’s a defensive-minded player but he’s also an attacking left-back so he gives you a bit of everything in there.”

Republic of Ireland under-21 international Lanre Oyebanjo was also recalled at right-back in place of Jon Challinor and gained the plaudits from his manager after providing the cross for Kerr’s goal.

Mills said: “Lanre put in a great cross in the first half and then another one where he looked a bit tentative. At half-time, I told him not to worry about overhitting them but just to get it in the box where our players were and it was a quality delivery for Scott Kerr’s goal.

“We know he’s capable of that and I’m pleased he got through 90 minutes and helped the back four keep a clean sheet. We’ve got competition for places and I just felt Jon Challinor has not been quite the player he is capable of being recently. Lanre is a good player who, like James Meredith, needs to prove that.”

Exciting winger Adriano Moké, meanwhile, was given only his third outing since Christmas as a second-half substitute with Mills asking for a more mature approach from the Glenn Hoddle Academy graduate for the rest of his Bootham Crescent career, saying: “Mokes has been underachieving. He has such ability but he’s learning the game and I’ve had a few issues with him. It’s a growing-up season for him.

“He’s been left out completely recently for reasons we will keep internal but, if he wants a career, he can have one. I wish I’d had his ability but I also wish he had my heart and desire.

“He’s got to learn it’s not about him, it’s about the team and that you’ve got to have consistency and put ten good games out of ten together to help York City succeed.”

Mills also admitted that joint-top scorer Jason Walker was struggling for form four games into his comeback from a groin injury.

The former Luton and Barrow forward was substituted just past the hour mark for the third successive game with Mills adding: “It’s just not happening for him at the moment and we need to see better. He’s lost that little bit of sharpness. At his best, you play the ball up to him, it sticks and he brings others into play.

“At this moment in time, his game is not what I want it to be or what he wants it to be.”

The two legs of the semi-final will take place on Saturday, March 10 and March 17, meaning the Minstermen’s away league trips to Bath and Cambridge on those dates will need to be rearranged.