Pickering Town manager Steve Brown will not be making any knee-jerk changes to his side for their important Northern Counties East premier division match against Glasshoughton Welfare despite a below-par midweek showing against Hallam.

The Pikes threw away a 1-0 lead with half an hour to go and lost 2-1 on Wednesday, taking the edge off their title hopes.

But Brown has vowed not to make any rash decisions on the back off the disappointing defeat.

"I won't be making any knee-jerk reactions but there will be a few changes because of injuries," he said.

"Unfortunately our youngsters are a very tired bunch of people at the moment because they had a tough game on Monday but they will come up and fill in where necessary."

Mark Swales has pulled a hamstring and is doubtful, while Joe Connor should make a return.

Three key players will miss Harrogate Railway's first encounter of the season against Sheffield.

Damien Holmes is away and both Danny Spence and Jason Day are also absent from the starting line-up leaving a gap at right back.

But Liam Gray should return from suspension, and recent signing Gary Shaw will make his home debut.

The centre forward or centre half signed from Guiseley a few weeks ago but has only been available once so far, making tomorrow's game an ideal opportunity to make his bow at Station View.

Boss Martin Haresign said: "We have been due to play them a couple of times but it has always been called off, and we play them again next Thursday.

"Sheffield are one of the teams that are playing to get promoted but we tend to do better against those teams as a rule."

Goole will be without Marc Thompson and Steve Rollinson for their tough promotion six-pointer against Liversedge.

Former York City defender Thompson is at a wedding and Rollinson on a gymnastics course, forcing joint managers Jimmy Reid and Paul Marshall to look to the second team to fill the breach.

But goal-grabbing Steve Davey should be almost ready to return from an injury.

Reid said: "It's a big game for us because they're only one point behind and are a very strong team, so it is a bit of a blow to have to go without Marc and Steve.

"But we have got lots of young lads in the second team we know we can turn to if we need to. They've had a brilliant season and will finish third or fourth in their league, and there are about eight or nine players who could fill in for us."

Selby Town visit Arnold Town in their continued quest for promotion from the premier division.

The Robins' hopes, however, have been hit by a slump in form that was extended when the Robins frittered away a 2-0 lead at home to Glasshoughton Welfare to eventually share the spoils in a 2-2 draw.

Toiling Tadcaster Albion could go as high as 14th in the NCEL first division table if they manage to buck their present trough in form and beat Stavelely Miners Welfare, who are only two places above them.

Harrogate Town will definitely be in the Conference North next season after Hucknall Town were crowned as UniBond League premier division champions to earn promotion to the Nationwide Conference.

Town are now guaranteed to finish between third and tenth in the division which is comfortably enough to secure Conference North football with three games still to go.

And that will delight manager John Reed, who has already hailed a top six finish as 'magnificent' for a side operating on a shoestring budget compared to some rivals.

Tomorrow will see them take on Wakefield & Emley in their last home game of the season, which will also double as the UniBond Family Fun Day where there will be special prizes and vouchers available for children at the match.

Updated: 11:01 Friday, April 16, 2004