OLD scores will once again be at the forefront of Goole minds when they travel to Harrogate Railway for the top Northern Counties East League encounter of the weekend.

Vikings boss Paul Marshall was fired by Railway despite taking the team on a memorable FA Cup run and later joined Goole as joint manager with Jimmy Reid.

Tomorrow he will be taking his marauders, several of whom have followed him south, to Starbeck for the first time as sole manager with plenty at stake as the two are level on points in second and third in the premier division.

Steve Davey, the former Railway top scorer, will be among those gunning for the points, along with Jimmy Gore and Nigel Danby.

York-based Marshall said: "We all left under a cloud and, of the 20 players or so who were involved in the FA Cup run, none of them are still there. But we do know quite a few of the men who did the deed.

"It was annoying at the time but we have got to get on with it.

"We have had three good wins so far in 2005 so we are going into it full of confidence."

League leaders Selby Town will be looking to take maximum advantage of Harrogate Railway and Goole's match with a win at Glasshoughton Welfare.

Whatever the result at Starbeck, three points at Glasshoughton will steal a march on at least one of their rivals as the title race hots up.

Revenge will not be easy for Pickering Town when they come up against Sheffield for the second time in five days tomorrow with several key players out injured.

The Pikes were sent out of the NCEL Cup on Tuesday and travel to Sheffield tomorrow in a huge premier division clash.

But midfielders Alex Willgrass, Brian Dutton and Seb Towse, striker Ricky Greening and big centre-half Michael McNaughton will all miss the match with various injuries leaving the Pikes down to the bare bones.

"We are struggling a little bit and it's not a good time of year to be struggling but we have just got to get on with it," said boss Alex Mathie.

"I'm hoping all five will be fit for next week's FA Vase game so I don't really want to take any chances."

As for the quick rematch with fourth-placed Sheffield - the fourth game of the season between them - Mathie said: "I can't see them changing the side that much but then again neither can we because of all the injuries.

"But we are looking forward to reversing the result. Tuesday night was all down to individual errors so if we can sort them out we have got a good chance of winning."

Tadcaster Albion's scheduled home division one match against Lincoln Moorlands has been called off barring a miracle, with the Ings Lane pitch still underwater from the recent flooding.

The water has finally started to recede but the effect of the soaking will leave the pitch unplayable even if the surface is clear, much to the frustration of manager Jim Collis.

He said: "I'm disappointed that we can't play because the lads have come back from the Christmas break and they are fresh now."

Updated: 11:36 Friday, January 14, 2005