NORTH and east Yorkshire's flag is flying high atop the Northern Counties East Football League premier division.

The top-flight is currently dominated by clubs from North and east Yorkshire with the leading four positions held by Selby Town, Harrogate Railway, Goole and then Pickering Town.

Pace-setting Selby will bid to strengthen their position at the top when they entertain Buxton at Flaxley Road tomorrow.

Manager Bob Lyon's men have roared to the front on the back of a superb run of form, though they will be keen not to leave victory as late as midweek when it was not until the last six minutes that they breached Brodsworth with a brace of strikes from 'supersub' Dominic Graham.

How much resistance Buxton may provide will be tricky to gauge after the club's manager Ronnie Wright and director of football Kenny Johnson resigned in midweek.

Just two points behind the Robins, but with two games in hand, are Harrogate Railway, who are also on home duty tomorrow against Glapwell.

Martin Haresign's side will be aiming to stretch their unbeaten run to 12 games following their crushing 5-1 win at Glasshoughton.

Skipper Scott Bairstow missed that game because of a family illness but should return for tomorrow's match at Station View.

However, central midfielder Lee Ryan damaged a foot at Glasshoughton and could be out for a few weeks. Meanwhile, Danny Spence is not far away from a return after injury.

Goole, who have slipped from prime position to third in the past week, will aim to steady their ship by prising plunder from their sortie to Arnold.

The North Yorkshire renaissance extends to the NCEL first division, where Tadcaster Albion have a full-strength squad from which to select for the visit of Carlton.

Albion's 4-0 pounding of second-placed Sutton last week elevated Jim Collis' men into fourth place, still seven points adrift of leaders Garforth but with three games in hand over the table-toppers.

Centre-back Paul James is expected to return after suffering a mild concussion early on against Sutton, while right-sided midfielder Dave Watson is back from 'flu and Simon Keogh returns after holiday.

Collis has recently switched formations from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 boosted by the powerful central midfield form of Mark Brady, a recruit from Thackley. Enthused Collis: "He is helping us to keep the ball more and that's made us stronger when we go forward."

Updated: 12:29 Friday, December 10, 2004