Harrogate Town are hoping goalkeeper Chris Hill can make a miraculous recovery in time to play in their most important match for over a decade tonight.

Town will attempt to win their first trophy in 11 years when they take on hot favourites Barrow in the UniBond League Chairman's Cup final at Wetherby Road, and will be helped if the regular number one is fit to replace calamity 'keeper Rasti Martos.

Hill, who amazingly scored with a towering 85-yard clearance against Gretna three weeks ago, damaged an ankle when making a save during Harrogate's 1-0 semi-final victory over Chris Waddle's Worksop Town the following midweek.

It was thought he would be out for the season, but boss Mick Hennigan is keen for him to make a return in place of Slovak custodian Martos, who has been at fault for three of the four goals conceded by Town over the Easter weekend.

"We're hopeful Chris can come back in the frame even though we originally thought he would be out for the season," said assistant boss John Reed, who is also hoping Lady Luck will smile on his side following Monday's 3-0 defeat by lowly Kendal Town.

"If we are going to have an off-day it was good it came on Monday rather than tonight. Martos was at fault for two goals and the other decisive factor was two or three bad decisions by the referee.

"We were bad at Congleton on Saturday but ground out a result (3-1), but were appalling on Monday, though we did improve in the second half. Hopefully we'll get one or two breaks tonight."

There was another silver lining to Monday's cloud, as Reed said: "Barrow came to watch us but won't have learnt anything from that game, which I suppose is a good thing."

Harrogate, mid-table in division one, had been unbeaten at Wetherby Road since November prior to Monday's reverse and will have home advantage tonight after chairman Bill Fotherby won the toss of a coin to decide the venue. But they will still be massive underdogs against a side who lie sixth in the premier division and have won six games on the trot.

However, Town have already knocked out premier opposition en route to the final, including fifth-placed Worksop, and Reed added: "We'll have to pull our socks up but we'll be 100 per cent up for it."

Andy Shelton and Pav Singh, who were missing on Monday, return to the squad. Kick off is at 7.45pm.

Harrogate Town: from Martos, Hill, Atkinson, Hudson, McNaughton, Bairstow, Hine, Merris, Underwood, Shelton, Richards, Zoll, Elliott, Severn, Singh, Featherstone, Allen, Ball.

Updated: 13:10 Thursday, April 19, 2001