HARROGATE Town and Harrogate Railway will renew hostilities for the first time since 1993 tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

The biggest crowd of the season is expected at Wetherby Road as the old foes prepare to slug it out in the second round of the West Riding Cup - nine years after Town's 2-1 FA Cup victory in front of the BBC cameras.

Just a year ago there were strong suggestions at a possible merger of the Harrogate clubs, but that is now all in the past, with both preparing to show who is the area's top team.

Town, flying at the UniBond League first division, will enter the game as favourites, but Northern Counties East premier division outfit Railway are past masters of the cup upset.

And Town boss John Reed has warned his players that places for Saturday's FA Trophy clash against Doncaster Rovers are up for grabs.

"I will be putting out the strongest possible side, this is a fixture I'm taking very seriously," said Reed. "We will treat Harrogate Railway with the same respect as Doncaster Rovers.

"You only have to look at their Cup exploits - they went to Blyth and won and held Morecambe until the 93rd minute - to see that we cannot be complacent.

"And I'm warning my players to be on their guards. If I see any chinks that they are not up for it, then they won't make the team for Doncaster. The shirts are there to be played for."

Rail will know plenty about what awaits them, with eight players having turned out for the Wetherby Roaders in the past, while boss Paul Marshall was part of the Town time which won the WRCFA County Cup and later went on to manage the side and his assistant Mick Margis played up front for them in the early 1980s.

Danny Ames, Ian Hart, Steve Davey, Mark Watkinson, Darron Morris, Nigel Danby, Steve Hartley and Dean Wilson have all played at Wetherby Road.

"We've quite a few ex-Town players and they will all have something to prove," said Marshall, who played for Railway in the FA Cup defeat by Town.

"They will expect to give us a good going over, but we won't disgrace ourselves. No-one expected us to go to Blyth and win and no-one expected us to push Morecambe all the way."

Marshall also adds he has nothing to prove following his split from the club when he was manager, adding: "That is all water under the bridge now."

Town will be without Dave Merris (suspension), Darren Beasley, Jason Harris and Michael Bowes (all ineligible), while Rail will be at full strength with Davey, Ames, Jimmy Gore and Steve Haddon all back in contention.

Updated: 12:04 Tuesday, January 08, 2002