EMIRATES FA CUP FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND
Venue: Croft Park, Plessey Road, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 3JE
Date: Saturday 20th October 2018
Kick Off: 3:00pm
SCORE UPDATES / MATCH COMMENTARY
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ADMISSION
Adults – £12 (£2 extra for the Port of Blyth stand)
Concessions – £7 (£2 extra for the Port of Blyth stand)
11-16 – £5 (£2 extra for the Port of Blyth stand)
Under 10’s – FREE (£2 extra for the Port of Blyth stand)
By Stuart Dick
It’s the Emirates FA Cup fourth qualifying round tomorrow afternoon with a place in the first-round proper up for grabs for both Blyth Spartans and York City.
Spartans come off the back of a drubbing at the hands of Boston United last weekend and Alun Armstrong expects a massive reaction from his side.
The Opposition:
York City currently sit eighth in the National League North having won five, drawn four and lost just three this season in league competition.
In the FA Cup they have won two from two and are yet to concede a goal, having overcome Ashton Athletic and St Ives Town at Bootham Crescent in the last two rounds.
A former Football League side with plenty of pedigree, York City are a sleeping giant at the Step 2 level and some would say are underachieving yet again this season.
The tale of the tape:
The sides have met five times with York City winning on three occasions, one draw and one win for Spartans.
The most famous meetings happened in the 1978/79 season, a year after Spartans famous run to the fifth round of the FA Cup. The sides met in the same competition, this time in the first round. The original fixture sorry Terry Johnson secure a replay for the Green Army in a 1-1 draw.
The replay was a spectacular affair, with score level at 3-3 after ninety minutes thanks to an Alan Shoulder brace and a goal from Peter Davies. Unfortunately for the Croft Park club, City scored twice in extra time to win the tie 5-3.
The Manager:
Youth team manager Sam Collins was put in caretaker-charge of York City’s first team squad following the departure of manager Martin Gray in August – but has now taken on the role in a permanent capacity.
Collins, 41, played nearly 600 senior games as a defender for clubs including Huddersfield Town, Bury, Port Vale, Hull City, and Hartlepool United.
He joined City in the summer after previously working as Professional Development Coach at League One club Bradford City. He has also stood-in as caretaker-manager at Hartlepool on three separate occasions.
Collins is assisted by Stuart Parnaby, 36, who played in in the Premier League for Middlesbrough and Birmingham City.
Parnaby joined City in the summer as a Strength and Conditioning coach.
The Key Man:
He may not play week in, week out anymore, but Jon Parkin has been a thorn in Spartans side over the last two seasons.
The 36-year-old has netted four times in three games against Blyth, coming off the bench earlier this season to convert a dubious penalty – the second in as many years at Bootham Crescent.
In his career he has made 647 appearances, scoring 221 goals.
Spartans Team News and Milestones:
Nathan Buddle and Kieran Green are suspended thanks to two yellow cards in the Emirates FA Cup this season.
Jordan Watson and Aaron Cunningham both picked up knocks against Boston United, but the club have signed defender Louis Laing who will be available for selection