NEAL ARDLEY’s side have to earn ‘the right to play’ when York City travel to Boreham Wood on Sunday, January 7 (2pm).

York haven’t fell to defeat in the Vanarama National League since November, with Ardley’s side embarking on a good run of form heading into the New Year.

But Ardley won’t underestimate a Boreham Wood side that couldn’t fill an entire substitutions bench in the festive fixtures, with the City boss outlining his respect for Luke Garrard in the opposition dugout.

“They’ve got threats, (Erico) Sousa can one-on-one dominate players and make things happen, and (Lee) Ndlovu as we saw here is a powerful lad, and if you let him get on top of you then he can cause you problems," Ardley explained.

“(Tyrone) Marsh is proven at this level to score goals, Tom Whelan I had at Solihull last season, he’s a very industrious midfielder and has scored four in his last five or six games.

“They’ve got big, strong boys as well, (Chris) Bush has been injured for the last couple of games but has a long throw-in.

“They’re good at playing at home, they know their pitch and they will put it on you.

“Whenever you go to Boreham Wood, if you don’t earn the right to play, they will swamp you.

“I know they’ve had a lot of injuries and only had three on the bench over Christmas, but Luke does a great job in not easy circumstances.

“I always find that Boreham Wood, when you’ve got a manager with so much know-how, they always find a run.

“They know how to cope, they know that they will have bad times now and then because the budget can dictate you, but they’ll always have a run and get things back when they get injuries back.

“They’ll end up on a run where they’re unbeaten in nine or ten, because Luke is capable of that.

“I think they’re a couple unbeaten already, I just hope that it doesn’t continue on Sunday.”

Ardley also touched upon his established relationship with Garrard, with the pair both having connections at AFC Wimbledon, and admitted that he was surprised that a club in a higher division hadn’t taken a punt on the Boreham Wood boss.

The York manager also explained the thinking behind his decision to invite the opposition manager into the office for a drink after every match, with Ardley always keen to pick the brains of different managers in the National League.

“It’s really good, Luke used to play not under me but for AFC Wimbledon.

“We played against them a few times in pre-season friendlies and that, he rings me for advice about players and I ring him for advice about players.

“He’s very studious, very knowledgeable and we always have good chats.

“I feel for him a bit, not because he’s gone under the radar but when jobs do become available I look at him and think that it’s his next step, he’s been at Boreham Wood a long time and he’s proven himself to be a very good manager.

“When I was working in League One or League Two, it was common, it was very rare that a manager didn’t do it.

“When you come down into the National League, it’s less so, I learnt that when I came down with Notts.

“A couple of times I would go into the manager’s office and they would have cleared off, and you’d just be like ‘oh! We’re not having a drink?’.

“There’s so much to learn when talking to other managers and I always want to learn, there’s some managers that I get along with so well that I will have them in for a coffee before the game.

“Because at 20 past two when they’re out warming up, I’m bored and have done all my work, so I’ll have them in for a coffee and we’ll talk football and about their club, and you soon realise that every club has its problems.

“Managers have got different scenarios, and it’s great to pick different managers brains.”