Bencherif’s loss is a big blow to the Minstermen
YORK City will be without key defender Hamza Bencherif for their vital Easter Monday clash against his old club Wrexham.
Bencherif has been an ever-present since his January switch from the Dragons, making 19 appearances during the Minstermen’s fight against relegation from the National League.
Good Friday’s 2-1 triumph at fellow strugglers Solihull Moors moved Gary Mills’ men up to seventh-bottom in the standings.
However, they remain above the drop zone only on goal difference and, along with Bencherif, right-wing back Danny Holmes is doubtful after suffering a gashed thigh in the Midlands.
Yan Klukowski, if fit after a spell on the sidelines with calf trouble, is the favourite to fill in for Bencherif - otherwise 20-year-old Shaun Rooney will be recalled for the Bootham Crescent contest.
Injured quartet Lanre Oyebanjo (knee), Clovis Kamdjo (knee), Matt Fry (knee) and Simon Lappin (ankle) will remain absent as Mills plots victory against a Wrexham team which sacked him in October.
Against Solihull, the Minstermen enjoyed their fourth win in five games and third successive away triumph after Vadaine Oliver bagged a brace within the first 31 minutes.
Oliver opened the scoring when he followed up a powerful Jon Parkin free-kick which hit the base of home goalkeeper Nathan Baxter’s left-hand upright and found the empty net on the quarterhour mark.
He went on to double the visitors’ advantage in clinical style with his ninth goal for York after returning from a half-season-long loan spell at Notts County in January.
The former Crewe striker moved inside from the left wing and exchanged passes with Asa Hall before curling a brilliant 12-yard effort beyond the diving Baxter.
The complexion of the game completely changed in the fourth minute of added-on time at the end of the first half .
After Holmes conceded a free-kick, Solihull dangerman Harry White thundered into Scott Loach’s top-right corner from 35 yards.
Ex-England under-21 international Loach, recruited on loan from Notts County last month, was then required to deny White three times with top-class saves after the break.