Harrogate Town are looking to bounce back from their first defeat since November with a win at lowly Frickley Athletic.

Third-placed Town are still pushing for the UniBond League title and with it a place in Nationwide Conference One, but they have to get past 20th-placed Frickley first tomorrow.

Manager John Reed said: "Really we are at full strength and we will need to be. It's a very intimidating place and we are needing strength and power."

He is likely to switch to a 3-5-2 to accommodate the returning Neil Aspin - the former Leeds United, Port Vale and Darlington defensive sentinel - following a broken arm, and also reduce the impact of the wide Frickley pitch.

"It's a big wide pitch so it makes sense to change the formation," he said.

"Only three weeks ago, Barrow went there and got beat 4-1 so it's going to be a very difficult place to play.

"I'm expecting a reaction from the boys after Saturday. I don't like getting beat and we were beaten 1-0 by a very average team, so hopefully, we will bounce back."

Leading scorer Darren Fell is a major doubt for Goole after aggravating an old ankle injury in their midweek West Riding County Cup win.

Joint manager Jimmy Reid rated his chances of starting at just 60/40, but added that there was enough cover to cope.

He said: "Darren got injured the other night which is a blow for us but young Ben Eastwood came on and did well so we have got cover up front if we need it. He's only about 60/40 at the moment, but he may be okay for about 20 minutes on the bench."

Tomorrow's opponents are relegation-battling Arnold Town but Reid knows it will not be an easy ride to their fourth consecutive league win.

He said: "We beat Arnold 1-0 after extra time in the cup and they are down at the bottom. But they are not a bad team. They tend to lose by just the odd-goal so we will have to be on our game."

Martin Haresign will be glad of the return of Liam Gray when top three side Ossett Albion visit Harrogate Railway tomorrow.

The Rail are still without James Featherstone and Steve Davey due to suspension, but welcome back Gray after missing last week's win.

Haresign said: "It's going to be a difficult one. Ossett are the form team at the moment and are looking like they will win the league.

"But if we play like we have done in the past few weeks, I don't see why we can't get something out of it."

Pickering Town are hoping to get back to winning ways after losing to Goole - and their posse of fomer Pikes - in injury time of a dramatic encounter on Saturday.

The Pikes will be virtually at full strength for their visit to Eccleshill United who are just one place and one point behind in the Northern Counties East League premier division in eighth place.

But boss Steve Brown said the league standings would have no bearing on the match.

He said: "It's always a tough place to go - it doesn't matter where they are in the league. It's quite a tight little ground and it will make life difficult."

In the NCEL division one, Tadcaster Albion are away to Worsbrough Bridge, currently two places behind them in the league.

Updated: 11:11 Friday, February 13, 2004