York City prepare for another massive clash when travelling to face Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday evening.

The Minstermen will be keen to avoid defeat and prevent their latest opponents, who are currently fifth in the table and one place higher than their visitors, extending their overall points advantage over them to seven.

Manager Martin Foyle was still sweating on the availability of leading scorer Richard Brodie, who collected his fifth caution of the campaign in the weekend draw against Blue Square Premier leaders Oxford United. But a case of mistaken identity has since seen the verdict go to a Tuesday lunchtime appeal, and a decision was expected to be reached only a matters of hours before kick-off.

Foyle told the Press: “It’s not been ideal from a preparation point of view not knowing whether Richard will be available or not but I am 100 per cent confident that he should be.

“We have statements from their players and manager and, on the DVD, you can’t see anybody picking the ball out of the net but Richard is running off in the opposite direction.”

However, should the outcome go against his player, Foyle would instead turn to teenager Adam Boyes, who rejoined the club on loan from Scunthorpe United at the end of last week. Fellow forward Richard Pacquette has already been ruled out for the rest of the month with a strained thigh muscle, while Michael Gash is still recovering from his metatarsal injury.

Foyle continued:  “I’ve been watching Adam (Boyes) play reserve-team football and he’s a fit boy.

“I’d have no hesitation playing him from the start either as a striker or somewhere else if we were to change things tactically.”

Meanwhile, on loan Oxford left-back Chris Carruthers is set to make his debut as a replacement for the suspended James Meredith.

Luton's caretaker manager Alan Neilson will be hoping to extend his current unblemished record after recently replacing the dismissed Mick Harford. Wins have since followed against Tamworth (H 2-1), Kidderminster Harriers (A 2-1) and Altrincham (A 1-0).

The Hatters will be without ex-QPR marksman Kevin Gallen (shoulder) and Rossi Jarvis (suspended), while Keith Keane, Liam Hatch and Lewis Emmanuel are also expected to remain sidelined. But Shane Blackett (flu) could return.  

Luton Town (probable): Tyler, Gnapka, Pilkington, White, Howells, Asafu-Adjaye, Nicholls, Hall, Newton, Craddock, Wright

subs: Reynolds, Gore, Basham, Burgess, Charles

York City (probable): Ingham, Purkiss, Sangare, Parslow, Carruthers, Smith, Lawless, Barrett, Ferrell,
Brodie, Rankine

subs (from) : Boyes, McGurk, Mackin, Nelthorpe, Mimms, McWilliams

Ref: N. Kinseley (Essex)

Kick-off: 7.45pm