PICKERING Town will be hoping it's third time lucky as they head into their eagerly awaited FA Vase third round replay at Causeway.

The tie has already been hit with controversy, with the first game abandoned with the Pikes leading 1-0 after the referee got injured, while the second saw Causeway have two players sent off in a 2-2 draw.

But - barring any new mishaps - it will be played to a conclusion tomorrow, with extra-time and penalties deciding the victors if necessary.

Pikes boss Steve Brown said: "It's been a little bit of a saga but will go either one way or the other this time and hopefully it will fall in our favour.

"We're looking forward to it. We're in a good frame of mind and we don't feel there's any reason why we should not go down there and get a good result."

Former York City midfielder Marc Thompson, who is registered to both Harrogate Town in the UniBond League and Pickering in the Northern Counties East League, and another ex-City youngster, Pete Vasey, are likely to be available to return for the Pikes.

However, injured pair Ben Rhodes and Jody Chapman will miss the trip to the Midland Alliance League outfit, while Phil O'Reilly might be forced out through commitments.

Harrogate Town will look to continue their climb up the UniBond League table as they visit struggling Colwyn Bay.

The Welshmen lie second bottom, eight points adrift of safety, but Town boss John Reed was guarding against complacency.

"They beat Emley (in fifth place) last week so we will not treat them any differently to teams like Accrington (leaders) or Stalybridge.

"It will be tricky, and we might be a bit stiff after a three-hour bus ride, so the players need to be as focused as I am."

Reed will be without his suspended player-coach Neil Aspin, while fellow ex-Leeds defender Len Curtis and York City loanee Rogerio are injury doubts. Another striker, Clayton Donaldson, has been struggling with 'flu.

There are two crucial basement battles in the NCEL premier division, where Harrogate Railway visit Hallam, while Selby Town host Armthorpe Welfare.

Victories for the two local sides will lift both out of the bottom four, with their respective opposition both dropping down.

Railway, with all national cup commitments now out of the way following their consecutive defeats in the FA Cup and FA Vase, will hope that being able to concentrate on the league will see them make use of games in hand and rise away from danger.

Boss Paul Marshall said: "I would prefer to still be in the cups obviously, but we've had a good run in both competitions. We were disappointed to go out (of the Vase) last week but we're still in the NCEL's League Cup and President's Cup and we will be going for them to try to get some silverware.

"However, we need to progress up the league and get away from the relegation zone. We've got back-to-back games against Hallam over Christmas and I would like to pick up six points from six."

Tadcaster Albion could jump four places and out of the re-election zone in NCEL division one if they beat Pontefract Collieries.

Updated: 11:20 Friday, December 20, 2002