York City urged to enjoy run-in ahead of biggest game of National League campaign

That is when York City's next competitive match will be.

The Conference six-team play-off system has really worked against the Minstermen. Eleven points ahead Barnet will take the only automatic promotion place. There is a 21-point gap to eighth with 21 to play for. Even fourth - who go into the quarter-finals second and third skip - is 11 points and 20 goals' difference back.

So York have to keep themselves ticking over for a one-off home game eight weeks away to play at Wembley for promotion to the Football League.

The solution, says manager Adam Hinshelwood, is to have fun.

Tuesday's 4-0 win at Rochdale was a lot of fun. Not in the first 23 minutes when play-off-chasing Dale's greater hunger shone through.

But once Ollie Pearce spun on a Joe Felix pass and backheeled it into the far corner of the net, York had a ball. Pearce produced a brilliant throughball for the second and scored his 25th goal this season before Ryan Fallowfield scored his first from substitute Dipo Akinyemi's second assist - up with Pearce's for quality.

"That was the message, to go and enjoy yourselves, enjoy being second in the league, enjoy playing," said Hinshelwood. "We want to try and create a better vibe around the place. You felt a bit of nervousness.

"It wasn't just our stuff on the ball, the intensity without the ball was excellent."

Pearce took a heavy tackle shortly after the second, but you could see from his wide-eyed, open-armed celebration after playing a pass from his own half to Lewis Richardson how much fun he was having.

"He's feeling his legs and calves but he didn't want to come off," said Hinshelwood.

"If you can't enjoy being second in the league, you really shouldn't be doing it."

After Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Braintree Town, the bar has been set.

"Our form's been indifferent but we set a very high standard - we were on the front foot, we pressed from all over the pitch, and won our battles. That's got to be the catalyst for us," said Hinshelwood.

"That's 18 clean sheets now and I want us to get to at least 23 - half our games. We'll have to be near-on perfect.

"And we've always got a goal in us.

"That's what I want my teams to look like, we'll be trying to demand that for the rest of the season."