Neilson: Minstermen tie was the toughest draw possible

TOWN were handed the ‘toughest’ tie possible when they were paired with York City in Monday’s draw for the FA Trophy semi-finals, writes Mark Wood.

Assistant boss Alan Neilson admitted the Minstermen were the least favourable opposition they could have got, but believes City will be thinking the same thing about the Hatters.

He said: “Everyone was saying we would probably get York and we have got York.

“We don’t need to worry about the fact it’s York but go and enjoy the semi-finals and the winners play at Wembley.

“I think no disrespect to the other teams, Newport and Wealdstone, it’s the toughest test we could have got.

“The other teams will have looked at it and thought Luton was the toughest draw they could have got as it’s the two biggest teams left in the competition.”

York and Luton have experienced a turbulent relationship over the last three years.

Town’s play-off defeat to the Minstermen two years ago was marred by violence after the game and that fracas has been followed by a controversial abandonment, big wins for both sides and incidents involving Luton manager Gary Brabin and midfielder Alex Lawless.

Throw into the mix three transfers between the two sides and there’s every chance of even more thrills ’n spills.

But Neilson said the Hatters will start the encounters against City with a fresh slate, adding: “It will start as a clean sheet. Anything that happened in the past won’t affect the two-legged semi-final.

“We will look at the opposition, their strengths and weaknesses and take it from there.”

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