Scarborough target second spot

At the same time, however, their chances of finishing in the top five could suffer a blow, as they face two of the fifth division's best sides in three days.

Boro travel to big-spending Rushden and Diamonds tomorrow, six points behind their hosts with a game in hand.

A fifth win in five matches would close the gap, and end the hosts' bid for the Conference title.

Brian Talbot's side must win every game to stand a chance of promotion to the Football League, although leaders Kidderminster Harriers need only a point from four games to secure elevation.

Scarborough then entertain fourth-placed Morecambe on Monday, when the visitors could set a new Conference record.

Jim Harvey's men have gone 13 games undefeated and avoiding defeat against Kettering Town tomorrow and then at Boro, would see them set the longest-ever unbeaten run in the fifth division. They would also leapfrog their hosts in the table.

Scarborough will have the same squad on duty at Rushden tomorrow as the one that figured in the 1-0 defeat of Altrincham on Wednesday.

And boss Colin Addison believes the match against the moneybags outfit would provide a good benchmark for his club.

"The game will provide a great marker for us to see how far we've come after all the changes that have taken place here," he said.

"Rushden have never been long out of the top three and it's a big game for us. We can finish second but we need to win tomorrow."

Having been thrown back into the relegation dogfight by defeat at home to Armthorpe Welfare on Monday, Harrogate Railway will hope to get their recent resurgence back on track tomorrow.

Four points in two games, starting with a trip to Denaby United, would secure their Northern Counties East League premier division status, whereas defeat would take the season to the wire, with a home game against fellow strugglers Maltby Main to come next Saturday.

Steve Hartley is unavailable tomorrow, with Pat McDaid taking his place in defence.

Selby Town, meanwhile, travel to Arnold Town tomorrow for their penultimate fixture of the season.

Harrogate Town complete their UniBond League division one programme this weekend, with a game at Ashton United tomorrow and a rearranged encounter at home to Burscough on Monday.

The latter match could prove vital in the four-horse race for promotion, as victory for Town could deny the current leaders a place in the premier division next season.

Alex Nesovic and Nicky Hey return for both matches after knee trouble and work commitments respectively, while Lee Murphy is rated at 50-50 as he is still suffering with a back injury.

In the West Yorkshire League, York RI travel to Aberford, while Knaresborough Town visit Nostell Miners Welfare. Champions Nestl Rowntrees are without a game.

Northern Youth Academy leaders New Earswick Under-19s were due to visit Harrogate Under-19s on Sunday but have been handed home advantage as Harrogate's pitch is unavailable.

Should the weather cause the match to be postponed, it will be played at Harrogate on Tuesday, just 24 hours before New Earswick travel to Eccleshill Under-19s, who also have hopes, albeit slim, of lifting the title.

New Earswick have a four-point lead at the top with four games left, while second-placed Doncaster Rovers Under-19s have two games in hand and third-placed Eccleshill, three points further back, have one game in hand.

Weekend line-ups

Scarborough (at Rushden and Diamonds): from Woods, Ingram, Rennison, Thompson, Ellender, Williams, Stoker, Jones, Brodie, Roberts, Tate, Martin, Harriott, Gildea, Morris, McNaughton. (Monday, v Morecamble): provisionally the same as above.

Harrogate Town (at Ashton Utd) from: Allen, Brooks, Merris, Bairstow, Featherstone, Ryan, Smith, Singh, Dunn, Francis, Elliott, Ullarthorne, Wilson, Mazurke, Nesovic, Hey, Murphy. (Monday, v Burscough): provisionally the same as above.

Harrogate Railway (at Denaby Utd): from Neale, McDaid, Walker, L Edmunds, Ames, Gray, G Edmunds, Edwards, Hill, Darvill, Davey, Clifton, Whalley, Horsfall, Hebdon.

York RI (at Aberford) from: Mitchell, Keenleyside, Render, Gilmore, Barley, Knaggs, Bilhom, Rayner, Cocker, Coppinger, Bond, Rowan, Jackson, Freer. KO 2.30.

Knaresborough Town (at Nostell Miners Welfare): from Jackson, Young, Ellerker, Sweetman, Sutton, Kehe, Clifford, Holman, Bradley, Shaw, Cowan, Taylor, Brown, Perry. KO 2.30.

New Earswick Under-19s (versus Harrogate U19s): Meet 12.45. All players phone Jimmy Saturday night.

UniBond League

Premier Division

P W D L F A Pts

Leigh 41 25 8 8 83 44 83

Hyde Utd 41 21 13 7 71 43 79

Gateshead 41 21 13 7 71 36 76

Marine 40 21 13 6 75 42 76

Emley 40 18 11 11 49 38 65

Lancaster City 41 18 11 12 61 53 65

Gainsborough Tr 44 16 15 13 59 49 63

Stalybridge Celtic 42 17 11 14 61 53 62

Bishop Auckland 42 17 11 14 62 59 62

Worksop Town 40 18 6 16 75 58 60

Runcorn 40 16 10 14 58 46 58

Barrow 42 13 15 14 60 54 54

Frickley Athletic 43 15 8 20 62 83 53

Blyth Spartans 41 14 9 18 58 61 51

Whitby Town 40 13 12 15 55 58 51

Droylsden 42 13 12 17 48 53 51

Hucknall Town 41 14 9 19 52 58 51

Leek Town 41 14 9 19 58 77 51

Bamber Bridge 40 13 8 18 58 60 48

Colwyn Bay 40 12 10 18 42 72 46

Spennymoor Utd 41 10 12 19 38 65 42

Guiseley 43 8 16 19 50 70 40

Winsford Utd 43 3 7 33 39 113 16

First Division

P W D L F A Pts

Burscough 41 21 18 2 79 34 81

Witton Albion 41 22 15 4 85 46 81

Accrington Stanley 40 23 9 8 89 42 78

Radcliffe Borough 41 22 12 7 71 45 78

Bradford PA 40 22 8 10 73 45 74

Matlock Town 41 17 16 8 72 54 74

Farsley Celtic 39 17 11 11 63 48 62

Ossett Town 40 17 8 15 76 52 59

Harrogate Town 40 14 12 14 63 63 54

Chorley 40 13 14 13 53 61 53

Congleton Town 39 13 12 14 61 70 51

Lincoln Utd 42 13 12 17 52 80 51

Stocksbridge PS 40 14 8 18 49 68 50

*Eastwood Town 39 13 11 15 60 62 49

Ashton Utd 40 11 15 14 61 64 48

Belper Town 39 12 11 16 56 66 47

Trafford 40 11 11 18 53 60 44

Workington 38 10 12 16 43 54 42

Gretna 40 11 7 22 47 74 40

Netherfield Kendal 40 8 9 23 44 77 33

Flixton 42 7 9 26 47 85 30

Whitley Bay 40 6 8 26 38 85 26

* points deducted for breech of rule.

Northern Counties East League

Premier Division

P W D L F A Pts

North Ferriby Utd 35 23 9 3 79 27 78

Brigg Town 37 24 6 7 71 37 78

Liversedge 36 19 5 12 71 41 62

Alfreton Town 36 16 11 9 65 42 59

Glasshoughton Wel 34 17 6 11 59 52 57

Brodsworth MW 37 14 10 13 62 67 52

Hallam 37 14 9 14 71 64 51

Armthorpe Wel 35 14 9 12 43 44 51

Ossett Albion 35 14 8 13 65 54 50

Sheffield 33 12 13 8 58 41 49

Arnold Town 36 13 10 13 56 45 49

Selby Town 34 12 13 9 47 43 49

Eccleshill Utd 35 13 8 14 55 62 47

Denaby Utd 35 11 10 14 40 39 43

Garforth Town 36 9 11 16 49 62 38

Maltby Main 35 8 11 16 33 53 35

Harrogate Railway 36 10 5 21 50 92 35

Buxton 36 9 6 21 32 66 33

Staveley MW 36 8 8 20 48 76 32

Thackley 36 6 10 20 39 86 28

Division One

Goole 30 22 5 3 66 19 71

Glapwell 30 18 6 6 74 36 60

Mickleover Sports 30 14 7 9 52 44 49

Bridlington Town 30 15 4 11 43 36 49

Winter Rangers 30 13 9 8 52 31 48

Yorkshire Amateur 29 14 5 10 55 32 47

Hall Road Rangers 30 14 5 11 58 49 47

Borrowash Victoria 29 13 8 8 43 35 47

Louth Utd 30 12 4 14 51 62 40

Worsbrough Bridge 30 11 6 13 44 46 39

Pickering Town 30 11 5 14 46 36 38

Parkgate 30 11 5 14 58 59 38

Pontefract Cols 30 8 9 13 34 50 33

Tadcaster Albion 30 7 3 20 33 84 24

Rossington Main 30 5 7 18 27 62 22

Hatfield Main 30 5 4 21 36 91 19