Team of the month Harrogate Town are set to sign former Barnsley, Scunthorpe and Scarborough star Wayne Bullimore after he impressed in the midweek 2-1 friendly win against Third Division Darlington.

The central midfielder is expected to put pen to paper tomorrow ahead of Town's UniBond League premier division clash at home to Lancaster City.

Tuesday's friendly at the Reynolds Arena, arranged at short notice, gave both clubs the chance of a run-out, Town having seen their game at Alfreton Town on Saturday postponed because of the weather. And Bullimore did enough to win over Town boss John Reed.

High-flying Harrogate, who picked up the fair play award for January, are currently third in the league and pushing for a place in Conference One next term.

Ex-Quakers forward - and UniBond top scorer for the month - Glenn Naylor scored the first goal against his former club, with new signing Chris Hudson heading in a second from a corner.

Reed added: "The match was a great experience for the lads in that stadium. It was magnificent."

In worse news for the club, Lenny Curtis will be unavailable for at least a month after breaking his big toe just weeks after returning from a long lay-off.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, manager Reed said: "It will be a tough one for me to give the right team talk before the game.

"We beat them 4-1 at their place but they can still be a very tricky side."

Goole supremos Jimmy Reid and Paul Marshall will be leading a former players' charge against Pickering Town on Saturday when the Pikes visit the Victoria Pleasure Ground for a Northern Counties East League premier division encounter.

Ex-Pikes boss Reid will have up to eight former Pickering players including Thomas Reid, Danny Farthing and Ian Hart, who signed earlier this season, as well as co-manager Marshall, who used to play at the Ryedale club.

The game will also see a timely return to fitness by another ex-Pike, Kevin Smith.

Said Reid: "It's my ex-club so it will be nice to see a lot of the old faces again."

Pickering, meanwhile, are more or less at full strength for the clash - and will be hoping to use it to maximum advantage to boost their league standing.

Boss Steve Brown said: "We are ready to play, especially with last weekend's game off.

"I think we are giving ourselves a good platform to get a nice finish to the season if we can keep our standards high."

Harrogate Railway will be hoping to add more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone with a win against lowly Borrowash Victoria.

The Rail are currently seven points and three places ahead of Victoria.

"I think we could beat Borrowash," said boss Martin Haresign.

"We played them pretty much straight away when I took over and we drew one goal apiece. But we have much improved since then and are a much better side."

Steve Davey (suspended) is the only absentee in an otherwise full-strength team.

Ten places separate Tadcaster Albion and hosts fourth-placed Gedling Town in NCEL division one, but the Brewers will be aiming for a win to lift them out of the lower reaches.

Updated: 09:15 Friday, February 06, 2004