NORTHERN Counties East League neighbours Pickering and Harrogate Railway are both gunning for League Cup glory this season.

Respective managers Steve Brown and Martin Haresign have placed the competition high on their priority lists for different reasons.

Pickering boss Brown believes the club's form this season needs to be rewarded with some silverware while Railway manager Haresign feels the competition could provide some salvage from a somewhat sorry league campaign.

The Pikes, who are third in the premier division table, travel to first division Garforth and will be firm favourites to progress.

James Drinkell will be restored to the midfield after a holiday but Brown is warning against complacency, saying: "They were relegated last season but they were quite a strong side and I remember drawing 0-0 with them.

"They are going quite well in sixth in the league below us and will be keen to do well. They have got two decent players up front who are both UniBond League standard but it's a season when it would be nice and it is our aim to win some silverware in whichever shape or form so we will be going for it."

Railway will be without young centre-back Chris Brown (hamstring) and left-back Phil Turner (knee) for the trip to Glasshoughton Welfare but should welcome back midfielder Shaun Constable after a bout of flu.

Midfielder Damien Place and right-back Damien Holmes should also be fit despite limping out of the action in Saturday's 3-2 home defeat to Glapwell.

About the competition's importance to the club, Haresign said: "We want a few points on the board to move up the league because that is what the club wanted when I took over but realistically the League Cup is the only competition we can win.

"We have been drawn away to Farsley in the County Cup and that's a difficult competition to win anyway with the UniBond League clubs in it.

"Glasshoughton are struggling, which surprises me because they have one or two half-decent players and are managed by Freddie Cliffe, who used to be in charge at Railway.

"We won't be taking them lightly and I am looking for an improvement because our last game was the worst we have played since I came here."

Harrogate Town boss John Reed will select from the same squad that missed out on an opportunity to go top of the UniBond League table after a narrow 1-0 midweek defeat at Worksop.

Reed believes Worksop will finish the season as champions but Town, who are two points behind current leaders Droylsden, can stay in the title race with three points at Altrincham.

Only Droylsden and Barrow have lost fewer matches than Altrincham this season but the former Conference club are 15th having drawn nine of their 17 fixtures.

Reed has had loan approaches for York City striker Aron Wilford and Hull City midfielder Nathan Peat turned down this week.

Tadcaster Albion, 13th in the first division table, play host to South Normanton Athletic, the team directly below them, and will be looking for three more league points.

Updated: 11:10 Friday, November 14, 2003