STUTTERING Nestle Rowntree face a tough task if they are to get back on track in the West Yorkshire League following the midweek 2-1 defeat at the hands of Knaresborough Town, writes Dave Stanford.

Trees are at home to Carlton, who pipped Jim Collis's team to the title last year and so ended their hopes of a third successive championship.

Despite early defeats to Knaresborough and Ripon, Collis maintains he always knew Trees' start to the season would be tough.

"At the moment I have got three key players out through suspension and holidays.

"That makes a big difference and so I knew it was going to be hard for the first five weeks.

"It is not just a matter of going out and signing new players and then dumping them when the players return because that is not my style.

"So we have to try and get by as best we can in the meantime.

"I was disappointed to lose to Knaresborough but I thought we played well in the circumstances and it was probably their best performance against us since we have been playing them."

Collis is buoyed by the return of former York RI duo Lee Bond and Colin Raynor who missed the midweek defeat through injury and work commitments respectively.

"We have just got to pick ourselves up for tomorrow," added Collis.

"It is too early to be talking about the league yet but we do need to be picking up points between now and the end of September."

Knaresborough, after a mixed start to the season will have been boosted by that victory over Trees and will be looking to make it a memorable week with victory over Beeston St Anthony's at Manse Lane tomorrow.

In Division One, York RI, fresh from their 6-2 thumping of Rothwell Athletic last Saturday, will be looking for a similar result when they entertain Baildon Trinity Athletic.

TOMORROW'S SQUADS

Nestl Rowntree (v Carlton. Meet 1.30pm, kick-off 2.30pm): from Smallwood, Ellis, Hodson, Kilner, Simpson, Harvey, Durkin, Barley, Raynor, Bond, Terry, Bilham, A N Other.

Pickering (at Pointon Vasey, kick-off 3pm. Bus leaves Pickering 9.30am, Malton 9.45am, York 10.15am): from Mitchell, Reid, Thornton, Sturdy, Chapman, Morton, MacAuley, Wilson, Farthing, Connor, Zoll, G Chapman, Dale, Dickinson, Wash, O'Reilly, Willgrass.

Knaresborough (v Beeston St Anthony's, kick-off 2.30pm) from Ambrose, Holman, Anderson, Thornton, Ellerker, Clifford, Broadwith, Wilson, Bebb, Njie, Chambers, Lazenby, Darvill, Kent.

Harrogate Railway (at Brigg Town): from Montgomery, Watkinson, McLean, Wilson, Hartley, Walker, Ames, Jones, Wright, smith, Hart, Davey, Gore, Wrigley.

Updated: 11:54 Friday, September 07, 2001