Bromleyvs.York City

Both coming in on the back of victories, the hosts occupy third spot while their visitors sit 21st and a single point adrift of safety.

Match preview

Bromley head into the weekend aiming to strengthen their standing in the top three of the National League table and extend an unbeaten streak in their bid to win promotion to League Two this season.

Following a seventh-placed finish and subsequent playoff exit last time around, the Ravens have enjoyed an impressive campaign under the management of Andy Woodman, collecting 70 points from their opening 39 games, having won 19 of those while only runaway leaders Chesterfield have suffered fewer than their seven defeats.

Three of those losses came in a five-match span between late January and late February, harming their hopes of a top-three finish and subsequent playoff semi-final place, but Woodman's men have bounced back impressive since, putting another four-match unbeaten streak together as they firstly beat playoff-chasing Halifax Town 2-0 on home turf before playing out consecutive goalless draws with Oldham Athletic and Kidderminster Harriers, either side of an FA Trophy quarter-final win over Barnet.

Aiming to bounce back to winning ways, the Ravens most recently travelled to take on Wealdstone on Wednesday and succeeded in putting three crucial points on the board, prevailing in a 1-0 triumph as Michael Cheek netted the only goal of the game 16 minutes from time, despite them playing with 10 men from the 17th minute, taking their streak to five games unbeaten and five consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

Having seemingly refound their groove with the need to secure a top-three place to avoid having to play a further playoff quarter-final tie, Bromley now lead fourth-placed Solihull Moors by five points with six games of the regular season left to play, and they will bid to extend that cushion further with a second straight win on Saturday.

In their way stand a York City side who are equally desperate for three points at the weekend in their bid to climb out of the relegation zone in the final run-in.

After finishing three points above the drop last term, the Minstermen have endured another tough campaign in England's fifth tier this time around, currently sitting 21st with 43 points on the board from their 40 matches, having won just nine of those with only basement side Oxford City managing fewer.

Following Neal Ardley's exit in late February, Adam Hinshelwood stepped in to lead their survival bid, inheriting a side sat on just 39 points from 36 outings, and he was unable to inspire an initial upturn, beginning with back-to-back home losses to Wealdstone and Fylde, before drawing 0-0 away at fellow strugglers Kidderminster Harriers and suffering a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Altrincham.

Still searching for a first win under new management, the Minstermen most recently welcomed fifth-placed Aldershot Town to the LNER Community Stadium on Saturday, and after the game looked set to end in a goalless stalemate, they were able to snatch all three points as Lenell John-Lewis popped up with the decisive goal in the 90th minute.

That important return to winning ways saw York City narrow their gap to safety to just a single point with six matches to go, albeit with the three sides above them having a game in hand, and they will now bid to leap out of the bottom four with what would be an eye-catching result on the road to make it back-to-back National League wins for the first time this season.

Bromley National League form:

D

L

W

D

D

W

York City National League form:

L

L

L

D

L

W

Team News

Bromley head into Saturday's contest without first-choice goalkeeper Grant Smith, who will serve a suspension after being sent off in the 17th minute of their trip to Wealdstone last time out.

In his absence, 19-year-old David Aziaya will earn a first start between the sticks, while Deji Elerewe, Callum Reynolds and captain Byron Webster are bound to line up in an unaltered back three after seeing out another clean sheet on Wednesday.

Michael Cheek will continue to lead the line, having taken his tally to 19 National League goals for the season with the winner against Wealdstone, while Olufela Olomola and Corey Whitely will offer further support in a front three having scored nine and eight of their own respectively in the fifth tier this term.

Adam Hinshelwood may opt to field an unchanged York City starting XI from their impressive 1-0 win over Aldershot last time out, although Lenell John-Lewis does have a claim to come into the attack from the start after netting the decisive goal off the bench.

That took the 34-year-old's tally to seven for the season in the National League, while Dipo Akinyemi leads the way with 11 and will hope to keep his spot as a lone striker with Maz Kouhyar and Billy Chadwick set to continue on the wings.

Following their clean sheet, Thierry Latty-Fairweather and Callum Howe are bound to continue at the heart of the back four, while new arrival Marvin Armstrong should again join Alex Hunt in midfield having made his debut against Aldershot following a recent switch from Barnet.

Bromley possible starting lineup:

Aziaya; Reynolds, Webster, Elerewe; Krauhaus, Arthurs, Charles, Odutayo; Olomola, Cheek, Whitely

York City possible starting lineup:

Watson; Fallowfield, Howe, Latty-Fairweather, Amos; Hunt, Armstrong; Kouhyar, Batty, Chadwick; Akinyemi

We say: Bromley 3-1 York City

York City are bound to take some renewed confidence from a return to winning ways against high-flying opposition last time out, but they face on of the trickiest tests that the National League has to offer with a trip to an in-form Bromley side.

Previews by email