THERE'S a break from NCEL premier division duty when Pickering Town could be without six players for tomorrow's FA Vase third round trip to Billingham Synthonia.

Wednesday night's 5-0 premier division victory at Maltby Main came at a price with Alex Willgrass, Ricky Greening, Jamie Rame and Sebastian Drinkell all joining already crocked pair Steve Baxter (ankle) and Brian Dutton (groin) in the treatment room.

Willgrass (cut eye) and Drinkell (calf) could recover in time for the north-east clash but Greening and Rame have already been ruled out after picking up knee injuries against the South Yorkshire club.

It means Pikes' boss Alex Mathie is likely to promote some of the club's young reserve players to the first-team squad as North Yorkshire's only remaining representatives in this season's Vase bid to reach the last 32.

With possible transfer targets cup-tied, Mathie is also unlikely to be able to strengthen his squad.

The former York City and Newcastle striker said: "We have been left counting the cost of injuries after Wednesday night but the Vase will be a welcome change and we are looking to go as far as we can in the competition."

Updated: 12:31 Friday, December 10, 2004