Harrogate Town kick-start a busy Easter weekend of football action with the long trip to Blyth Spartans in the UniBond League premier division.

Michael McNaughton will come back into contention for tomorrow's trip and a nearly-fit Robbie Whellans will be hoping his injury clears up in time to make the bench.

If he has to miss out again, former Knaresborough Town youngster Sam Warburton could be recalled after an impressive debut on Tuesday night against Radcliffe Borough.

Influential ex-Darlington man Glenn Naylor is almost certain not to play after going down with tonsillitis.

And while boss John Reed knows the journey will be a long one with the coach having to set off at 11am, he is confident his side can take the positive performances from this week into the game.

He said: "We've been to Barrow and beaten them there so the distance shouldn't be a factor. Blyth are fighting for their lives down there at the bottom but we are going in on the back of two superb wins."

Harrogate Town round off the Easter festivities with a visit from 17th-placed Bradford Park Avenue on Easter Monday.

Harrogate Railway's postponed match at Sheffield on Tuesday night gave them some much-needed extra time to get three key players closer to fitness in time for tomorrow's Northern Counties East League premier division visit of Thackley.

Danny Spence, Charlie Bradshaw and Andy Shuttleworth were all major doubts going into the midweek clash, and boss Martin Haresign admitted the postponement came as a bit of a relief.

"We had two or three struggling so hopefully we will now have a couple of days extra to get them ready for the weekend," he said.

"It's a bit of a local derby for us as they are not a million miles away and they're another mid-table side so we will be looking to get something out of it."

But while Spence, Bradshaw and Shuttleworth are all expected to be back, the game will be too soon for the injured Damien Holmes, and Liam Gray is suspended.

Alex Willgrass will undergo a late fitness test ahead of Pickering Town's match against Eastwood Town tomorrow.

The midfielder limped off with a dead leg after half an hour of the Pikes' goalless draw at Liversedge on Tuesday night and is a doubt for the title-fight, although Tom Adams will return.

Manager Steve Brown said: "We are still looking at a top four finish, which has been the target all season, and that seems to be looking good."

The Pikes go to fourth-placed Sheffield on Monday.

Goole AFC are waiting on news of Kevin Smith and Steve Davey for their visit to Buxton tomorrow - with a derby clash at Selby Town on Monday also at the back of their minds.

Smith scored twice on Tuesday night in a 3-2 win but was later carried off and is currently being treated. Matt Willoughby is available again after returning from university and Chris Kamara also made it through 30 minutes on Tuesday.

Ahead of Monday's derby with Goole, Selby Town entertain Glasshoughton Welfare still smarting from last week's reverse against lowly Borrowash.

That defeat was a big set-back to manager Bob Lyon's hope that the Robins go on to maxmimise their season's run-in of games against opposition, who are struggling below them in the table.

"On paper that's what we should do. But that's on paper," he added ruefully.

Tadcaster Albion host Winterton Rangers in division one of the NCEL, with no game planned for Monday.

Updated: 10:46 Friday, April 09, 2004