Goal-happy Harrogate Town put their surge up the UniBond League division one table on hold tomorrow as they go for League Cup glory.
Mick Hennigan's men, who followed up a 5-0 league win over Lincoln United with a 4-1 defeat of Trafford, boosted their chances of progressing through the cup's group stages with a 1-0 win at premier division Emley on Monday.
Should their improving form continue, they could find themselves in among the UniBond League big-guns.
Town travel to Farsley knowing the victors will go clear at the top of group three, in a competition in which the eight group winners with the best records go into the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup, while the ninth group winner and the seven best runners-up compete in the President's Cup. The other two runners-up, plus six third-placed teams, go into the Chairman's Cup.
Hennigan was not getting carried away, though, despite also seeing his side climb away from the lower echelons of the table.
"We're playing a lot better and working harder, but there's still a long way to go. We don't want to be blowing our own trumpets too soon," he said.
Chester City loanee Andy Shelton and Slovakian goalkeeper Rasti Martos made debuts against Emley, both earning praise.
"They both did very well in what was an excellent team performance," said the former Leeds United number two.
While 20-year-old Shelton has experience of Football League action, having played 35 games as the Blues were relegated to the Conference last season, 22-year-old Martos was playing his first game in England.
However, as reported in the Evening Press, he was a trainee with Slovak giants Inter Bratislava and has played in Slovakia for SKP Devin Bratislava and HFK Topolcany.
He came to England from America where he played for Des Moines Menaces, joining the Wetherby Road club earlier this season as he continues studying English while working in Ripon.
A playing permit was secured when Hennigan thought he was ready for first-team action.
Quipped Hennigan: "Rasti had no problem communicating with his defence - he speaks English a lot better than I speak Czechoslovakian.
"He's been going to every training session and is full of enthusiasm. We realised in training he was a good keeper."
Hennigan was undecided whether to retain Martos in goal or recall regular number one Chris Hill. "We're lucky as we've got two good goalkeepers," he said.
"We might make one or two changes again."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article