PICKERING Town boss Jimmy Reid has threatened his players with the axe should they fail to perform this weekend.

The promotion-chasers entertain Arnold Town, a team just below them in the Northern Counties East League premier division, and Reid is demanding his charges bounce back from defeat in their previous game, the 3-0 loss to leaders Alfreton a fortnight ago.

"I'm looking for a bit of character after the knock-back we've had," said Reid, who saw the Pikes' game at Borrowash last week postponed.

"One or two players are on a sticky wicket and they will all be playing for their places.

"Any player can have a bad day on the ball but I do not like it when they have a bad day off the ball.

"There have not been enough people working hard, and it's up to the players now to do the business."

He added: "Arnold are doing quite well. They're still there or thereabouts, like quite a few teams just below us, but we want to get back on track."

Ex-Scarborough full-back Matt Russell and his brother, Adam, a former York City junior, are both included and could get their first starts.

Selby Town will need to do the double over the likes of Glasshoughton Welfare if their own bid to win promotion is to bear fruit.

The second-placed Robins travel to Welfare needing three points to keep up with Alfreton and maintain a gap between themselves and third-placed Pickering, who have games in hand.

Glasshoughton, struggling near the foot of the table despite having played more games than the teams around them, lost 1-0 at Flaxley Road earlier in the season - goal-machine Peter Collier netting the decisive strike - and Selby will expect another victory in this return fixture.

However, it won't be easy, as proved last week when Welfare held champions Brigg Town to a draw.

Harrogate Railway boss Paul Marshall will have to pick up his tired troops after their 3-0 West Riding County Cup defeat by neighbours Harrogate Town on Tuesday.

But Marshall, who has seen his side go without league action for three weeks, is refusing to look at any negatives from that loss ahead of the premier division trip to Garforth Town.

"It was a great bit of training for the lads, they needed it," he said.

"They haven't played for three weeks and haven't trained at all.

"When we were supposed to have played Armthorpe it got called off. We did half an hour and that is the only training we've done.

"If they could get through that pitch they can get through anything."

Garforth and Railway have already met this season, Danny Ames scoring in a 1-1 draw.

"It is another derby for us, Garforth is just down the road," added Marshall. "It is a good one for us."

The personnel will be the same with the addition of Steve Hartley, although Phil Walker is doubtful with a groin strain. Darron Morris will remain at the club on loan.

Goole could climb into the top half of the premier division if they, as expected, beat Buxton at home.

The Derbyshire outfit prop up the table after just two wins in 18 starts, and Goole will want to extend the visitors' miserable campaign.

Tadcaster Albion also tackle a basement outfit as they entertain Pontefract Collieries in NCEL division one.

The visitors, with eight points from 15 games, held Taddy to a 2-2 draw earlier in the season but home boss Wayne Day is expecting three points this time.

"When we played them we were two down early on but came back and in the end should have won," he said.

"They had a lot of young players who, if nothing else, would run all day, which is okay when you haven't got the ball, but they lacked a little something with the ball.

"They seem to have gone from one extreme to another as they've added one or two experienced players who probably don't have the legs. But these new players might sit in there and let the young ones run around them.

"However, on paper we've got the better team and I expect us to beat them, which is something we need to do if we're to stay in mid-table."

Nestl Rowntree assistant boss Jon Reynolds hopes dynamic duo Neil Durkin and Colin Rayner will bolster their midfield force ahead of the tough trip to Wakefield.

Durkin returns after injury and Rayner after unavailability as the West Yorkshire League leaders look to stay atop of the premier division table.

"Neither were there when we lost to Wetherby last time out and we missed them in midfield," said Reynolds, who should have a full squad to choose from barring Rob Ellis, who is suffering from a foot injury.

Wakefield lie in mid-table but Reynolds added: "We always have a tough match at their place and I doubt this will be any different.

"We drew with them last time and we struggled at 2-2, so hopefully we'll do a bit better this time."

Knaresborough Town, also in mid-table, could do Rowntrees a favour by taking points of high-flying Whitkirk Wanderers, while division one leaders Tadcaster Magnet, meanwhile, entertain Robin Hood Athletic looking to maintain the gap at the top with another three-point haul.

Updated: 12:24 Friday, January 11, 2002