York City boss Steve Watson hits out at Scarborough Athletic's 3G surface ahead of tonight's cup clash

Boro play host to derby rivals York in the North Riding FA Senior Cup semi-final tonight, with the winner progressing to play either Middlesbrough or Marske.

The former Newcastle defender has opted to field youngsters in the clash rather than risking players like Jon Parkin on Boro's 3G pitch.

Watson told the York Press: "I’m not really a fan of 3G pitches. I think professional football should be played on grass every week, even though I understand why clubs have them because it’s a good revenue stream.

“It’s a shame that Jon (Parkin) won’t be able to play and it’s a shame that he couldn’t play more than 10 minutes against Chesterfield in the practice game we had as well.

“But the surface might be better suited to our younger players anyway.

“We won’t risk playing anybody who is feeling anything, and a couple won’t play on the 3G pitch because of injuries they have had before, so it might be a chance to look at some of the younger players.

“I’ve not seen much of Nathan Dyer and young Ethan has been doing great with the youth team, so it would be good to have a look at him. In my mind, it’s a first-team squad game that I want to win because it’s another chance to keep our run going and I know it will be a tough game, but the league is obviously our priority and I won’t be putting that at risk.”