TADCASTER ALBION will be favourites to win the league if they can fashion a victory at Bridlington Town tomorrow, reckons manager Paul Marshall.

The Brewers' boss said it was "men against boys" at times as his side smashed Pickering Town 5-0 in a derby day demolition that put them seven points clear at the top of the Northern Counties East League premier division.

Only Brighouse Town can now catch them at the summit, should Albion continue their winning run right through to the end of the season, and, with their main challenger needing to squeeze in nine games before the campaign's finish, Marshall says his side must continue to win and keep the pressure on.

"It was probably one of the best performances since I have been at Tadcaster," he said of of the Pickering victory. "They were hungry and everyone played at a really high level.

"Pickering weren't that strong and it was like men against boys. It was great for us as everything went to plan. Brighouse dropped a couple of points and Barton Town lost.

"The players are responding to everything we ask of them. The only way we can win the league is by winning games and we are fortunate that we have hit form at the right time.

"I felt at the time that the defeat against Brighouse would spur everyone on to achieving our target, which is promotion.

"If we can get a result at Bridlington I think we would be favourites to win the league - with our run-in and that of Brighouse's.

"Bridlington away is always a game where you think 'we will be lucky if we get a draw'. This time, we go there full of confidence and going for three points."

He will be without inspirational centre-half Denny Ingram, who starts a two-match suspension, and Marshall added: "It's a massive blow for us. When he and Matt Sparkes have played together they have had 15 clean sheets.

"It's an issue we have got to overcome. He's a 37-year-old centre-back and his experience has helped us enormously this year. He's one of the best signings I have ever made.The other lads have got to stand up to the plate."

Pickering boss Mitch Cook, meanwhile, has urged his players to show a different attitude when they take on Parkgate in the premier division.

The Recreation Ground chief was livid after his side's loss at Ings Lane and wants his players to show some spirit when they entertain an outfit 19th in the table.

"We were very poor and I think everyone let themselves down," he reflected on the derby loss. "We played a good side and they are top of the league but we didn't turn up.

"The players have got to stand up and accept they weren't good enough. We can't become a team that just has nothing about them. We don't want that. That is the position we are in and no one can change that attitude but themselves. Everything about the game was disappointing."