Pickering Town will host a titanic battle at the Recreation Ground tomorrow when fellow Northern Counties East League premier division title-challengers Goole pay them a visit.

A win for the Pikes will see them close the gap on the rest of the top four as they catch up with the games played, while Goole could lose their momentum in pegging back leaders Selby Town with a defeat leaving both teams gunning for maximum points.

The Pikes go into the game fresh from a 4-0 win at Hallam on Wednesday night, where Mark Swales banged in a hat-trick and Seb Towse got his second goal in a week.

Player/manager Alex Mathie again has a fully-fit squad including the likes of star midfielder Brian Dutton, who excelled against Borrowash Victoria last Saturday.

He said: "We've got no injuries whatsoever so it will be a similar team to last Saturday.

"It's going to be a big top-four game. They are going well and we are going well so we will be concentrating on our game and letting them worry about us."

Goole boss Paul Marshall was hoping to complete the transfer of Sheffield left-back Lee Vernon in time for the match to free up Mark Willoughby to the left side of midfield.

The addition will be a welcome extra body to the fold with influential skipper Nigel Danby unavailable and Jimmy Gore in doubt after picking up a hamstring injury.

Said Marshall: "We are trying to just keep improving our squad. We have had quite a young side this season and now and again they have done well for us. But they haven't been quite strong enough at times.

"It's a massive game at Pickering - one that we don't want to lose.

"We've had a physical eight days against Sheffield, Hallam and Mickleover but we have bounced back from the Harrogate Railway defeat to be unbeaten in three. It's given us a chance again."

Harrogate Railway will be looking to do some bouncing back of their own against bottom-four Brodsworth Welfare following a disappointing midweek loss at home to Shirebrook Town.

Leaders Selby, meanwhile, go to Mickleover Sports in a bid to maintain the five-point gap on the chasing pack.

Tadcaster Albion assistant boss Neil Smallwood is hoping his side remember their scoring boots for their trip to division one bottom club Pontefract Collieries.

The Brewers have seen dozens of chances slip past them in the last few weeks resulting in tight draws instead of comfortable wins and Smallwood is hoping they can start following through in front of goal.

"It's been a little bit frustrating," said Smallwood. "We have been playing good football and creating openings but just not getting them in. If we weren't creating the chances it would be more of a problem.

"But one day we will get five or six."

Updated: 11:17 Friday, February 04, 2005