Biggleswade v York City: Minstermen out to ignite city, not get fingers burnt

Biggleswade are 13th in Southern League Division One Central, the second highest-ranked team in a three-club town; York are third in the Conference, eight games unbeaten.

But they meet on equal terms in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round so not being victims of the sort of cup shock York history is built on is the focus.

"They'll see us as Big Time Charlies and want to put it on York," warned assistant manager Gary Elphick, cup-tied when Havant and Waterlooville travelled to Liverpool in the 2008-09 FA Cup.

Saturday's prize – beyond £9,375 – is not in the same league, literally, but the winners will be in the first-round hat with League One and Two clubs.

"It's a huge game," said Elphick, deputising with manager Adam Hinshelwood recovering from food poisoning. "You win this one game and you don't know what it's going to lead onto. We'd hate to think we've gone in there half-tilt and let them have a shock win.

"You're one game away from having a Bradford or someone like that here to ignite the city.

"The Ugglas, the Supporters Trust and the guys involved through sponsorship pump a huge amount of money in but we want York to be sustainable and it would be brilliant to bring in a cup run where the prize money can help us with transfers or infrastructure."

So York have done their homework.

"It's a potential banana skin for us on a 3G surface," stressed Elphick. "There may be a couple of different personnel but we want to go strong.

"We've had scouts watch them. They lost their last league game but they'd won three on the bounce prior to that. We've looked at their formation and set plays."

Wednesday's friendly against Hull City Under-23s saw Paddy McLaughlin play 90 minutes but Lenell John-Lewis pull out with a hamstring injury, intensifying the need for forward reinforcements.

York are assessing options from a youngster on loan to a more senior permanent signing.

On-loan defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott also has a hamstring injury.