United resume their northern tour on Saturday – but there is no chance whatsoever of them taking a break at KitKat Crescent.

The Blue Square Premier leaders know that this is a much more testing away game than those recently at Gateshead and Barrow.

And it’s probably tougher even that the one at Wrexham because the Minstermen are in such good form in front of their own fans, having not lost at home since April.

Good levels of concentration will be needed, but if it comes down to the attacking abilities of each team, the U’s will fancy their chances.

They showed again last Saturday, in smashing five goals past Grays, and with the football they played, that they can be delighful to watch when they go forward.

United have also had a boost with James Constable’s knock confirmed as not serious, so he was back in training and looking sharp again.

So too is Jack Midson, whose two goals when coming off the bench against the Essex outfit took his tally to four in five starts.

Alongside him Constable has hit 11 goals in 15 starts, Matt Green six in 14, and Jamie Cook six in 13 (for Crawley and Oxford).

Just as dangerous on his own patch, though, will be York’s Richard Brodie, who has scored ten goals, and played very well last Satur-day, despite his team’s 1-0 defeat at Salisbury.

But York are unlikely to have the same striking power coming off the bench.

Their expensive summer signing, Michael Gash, broke a metatarsal bone against Stevenage a fortnight ago.

He is ruled out for 4-6 weeks so will not be involved.

Another player missing from York’s line-up will be on-loan Oxford United left back Chris Carruthers.

He would have been ineligible to play anyway because of the terms of the agreement between Oxford and York.

Carruthers’ planned debut last week was postponed as he tweaked a knee in training.

It’s not thought to be serious, but would have probably sidelined him tomorrow.

The York game sees the end of a concentrated spell of league fixtures.

For the next three months it will be hard to maintain the rhythm in the league because fixtures are so interspersed with FA Cup and Trophy ties.

The FA Cup will always be important, but it will be interesting to see just how bothered Oxford are about the Trophy when a run in that can be counter-productive to league success.

“We’ve just got to keep accumulating points,” boss Chris Wilder said. “In every game we want the mentality that we’re going out to win.

“It’s going to bore people and it’s unspectacular be-cause we are just going to say how the next game is the most important.

“The players have been really good in their performances and their attitude.

“There’s going to be a lot talked about this football club, a lot of positive things like we’ve won the league and a lot of negative things, like we’re going to slip up – the players have just got to be focused when they go out on the pitch and just try to win.

“They’re a a tight group and they are not being fazed about the position they’re in.

“I think they’re enjoying the challenge of trying to maintain the position they’re in, and I’m delighted they are.

“I don’t think they’re worrying about anything. They respect that York pose a real threat and we – the coaching staff and the players – are going to have to be at our best to get a result on Saturday.

“The tour continues! We’ve had another good week, and we want to finish it off with a win, which is always the most important thing.”