STEVE WATSON believes York City are in a great place to face "one of the toughest games" of the season.

Unbeaten in five National League North games and with just one in the goals against column this term, the table-topping Minstermen travel to Spennymoor Town tomorrow (3pm).

Since promotion from the Northern Premier League in 2017, the Moors have challenged for play-off places in the last two seasons, missing out on goal difference in 2017/18 before losing the final last term to Chorley.

Spenny also did the league double over York last year, winning 3-0 in the North East and 3-2 at Bootham Crescent.

With a handful of solid summer recruits - including versatile winger Ben McKenna from Bradford Park Avenue - Watson predicts there will be some expectation around The Brewery Field this season.

He said: "I think people know that Spenny have really done well last season, just missed out, and they're the same as us. They've strengthened this summer and in their opinion and their fans' opinions of what they'll want to do this season, they'll consider themselves stronger as well.

"It's one of the toughest games we could face this season.

"But we couldn't go into it in much better form or with much more confidence and that's the way we're looking at it."

Watson also admitted it is too much to ask that York be on their best form for every game - but even when they have been sub-par, they have not disappointed.

Citing the campaign-opener at Altrincham, as well as home games against Farsley Celtic and Brackley Town, the City boss warned his side might have to wait for their moment.

At Bootham Crescent, Brackley made it hard work for eventual 1-0 winners York, while at Altrincham, City were under the cosh for large parts of the first half before coming out the other side 3-1 victors.

Against play-off final contenders Spennymoor - for whom it is their first home game of term - Watson is prepared for a similar challenge to be posed.

Watson said: "Whatever it is for them, it doesn't affect how we go into the game.

"We knew Altrincham was going to be tough, they'd had a similar pre-season to us results and performance-wise.

"We rode the storm a little bit in that game, we were on the back foot for half an hour, but because we remained solid, for the last 60 minutes we dominated.

"It might be a case of the same on Saturday, it might be a case of being solid, letting them come flying out of the traps and just being patient.

"That's what we've been at home. Teams have come to frustrate us at home. We're not going to dominate every game and we're going to have to play all different kinds of systems and approaches to get where we want to be this season.

"When you're one of the biggest clubs in the league and the team leading the table, everybody is gunning for you and we let ourselves down if we below our standards mentally.

"We're not going to play brilliantly every week, but that's the good thing - even the times where we haven't been brilliant, we've still been solid.

"This week will be no different.

"We've already played two teams that were in the play-offs last season. They've played two games less this month, so it'll be another tough task but a task that we're looking forward to and a task that we're ready for."

Midfielders Dan Maguire and Paddy McLaughlin are likely to miss out again this weekend, as is centre-back Josh King, who has picker up an injury. Kieran Green should return after being brought off as a precaution in last week's 2-0 win over Leamington.

Spennymoor have endured a slow start to the 2019/20 National League North season, picking up just the one point from their opening three games.

Andy Johnson and Glen Taylor are Spenny's sole goalscorers this term, both netting in the 2-2 draw at Hereford. Most recently, Spennymoor lost 1-0 at Farsley.

As well as McKenna from Avenue, manager Jason Ainsley - now in his 12th season in charge of the Moors - has brought back veteran striker Gavin Cogdon from Northern Premier League outfit South Shields.