Menacing teenage marksman Kevin Smith is set to make his Northern Counties East League debut for Pickering Town tomorrow at Louth United.

After switching his allegiance from West Yorkshire League outfit Nestl-Rowntree Smith will form a lethal front-line pairing with former 'Trees team-mate Patrick Gaughan.

Gaughan scored seven last week as Pikes destroyed Hatfield Main 8-0, while Smith bagged two for 'Trees as they beat Wakefield 4-1, bringing his total to 11 for the season.

The loss of Smith, who can also play in defence, is a big blow to 'Trees boss Jim Collis, but a signifcant boost for Pikes' manager Jimmy Reid, who stressed the teenager approached Town.

"I am absolutely delighted that Kevin wanted to come here although I do feel sorry for Jim who does a tremendous job with Rowntree's," said Reid.

"But I would be an absolute mug If I turned Kevin away. He is a quality lad and will help Pickering to progress. I am sure he will score a lot of goals for us and with him up front alongside Patrick Gaughan we will have a quality double act."

Smith played for Pickering in the midweek President's Cup win over Goole, earning a penalty.

It has certainly been a happy few weeks for Reid, who has seen his young side win three games on the bounce and climbed off the foot of the division one table after last week's trouncing of Main.

"They have set their standards now though," said the Pikes boss. "We have put this run together and I am absolutely delighted but they need to keep progressing and we desperately need league points."

'Trees chief Collis declined to comment on Smith's move to Pickering as he prepares his side for the trip to Pudsey tomorrow.

Nestl will be without their other potent poacher and last season's top scorer Brent Terry, who is still recovering from injury, while Collis is still without the services of defender Martin Cowl.

In better news, goalkeeper Neil Smallwood is available after missing last week's win over Wakefield.

In the UniBond first division, on the up Harrogate Town face a stern test when they play host to Radcliffe Borough having sold prize asset Phil Denney to First Division rivals Bradford Park Avenue.

Radcliffe have lost just once in the league this season, lie third tied on 23 points with leaders Burscough and second-place Witton Albion and put six past bottom club Whitley Bay last Saturday.

But sixth-placed Town too are enjoying a purple spell under the new leadership of Dave Fell and have not lost for six matches.

Denney, the former Bury striker who spent part of last on trial at Scarborough, signed for Bradford in exchange for Nicky Hay and a four-figure fee.

He joins Martin Pemberton at Avenue, who found the net 20 times last season for the Wetherby Road outfit and went in another four-figure fee transfer with 19-year-old striker Damien Lee travelling in the opposite direction.

A third Harrogate player to take root at Avenue is Danny Verity while for Town Fell has also secured the services of Rotherham United trainee Lee Beeton.

Town have a change of fixture at Wetherby Road on Tuesday when they now entertain Belper Town and not Lincoln United, ko 7.30pm.

Free-scoring Scarborough face the long-haul south to take on Dover Athletic in the Nationwide Conference with both sides occupying mid-table having both gone three games unbeaten.

After goals were proving hard to come by, the signing of Andy Morris has proved the catalyst for the Seasiders, who have now scored eight in their last two games.

Dover have received an undisclosed five-figure bid for 25-year-old goalkeeper Charlie Mitten from Second Division Gillingham.

In the Northern Counties East League premier division it will be odds-on for a draw when Selby Town travel to Denaby United.

The Robins picked up their fifth draw in ten games in last week's 1-1 draw with Thackley, while United have won just once and drawn seven to lie just one point behind Selby.

Selby's bid has been boosted with the return of marksman Nigel Oldfield after sickness ruled him out of last week's action.

Harrogate Railway will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment of last week when they hit the road to take on Armthorpe Welfare.

After taking a commanding 2-0 lead against high-flying Brodsworth Miners Welfare Railway slumped, eventually going down 3-2, the last two goals conceded in stoppage time.

Manager Paul Marshall made several changes and also included new additions from Harrogate Town, Pat McDaid and Ian Edwards.

In division one of the NCEL, with Pikes at Louth United, Goole will be keen to recover their form after losing 1-0 to Pickering in the President's Cup.

Bottom club Tadcaster Albion will be hoping to recover from their 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Worsbrough Bridge last weekend when they play host to Glapwell.

But the Albion ranks have been decimated by injury and unavailability.

Taking a roll-call of his men, manager Wayne Day will be without 14 players. The latest to bow out are defender Dave Bailes with a knee injury, while midfielder Mark Hill is unavailable.

However, Day welcomes back striker Paz Shan from suspension, and Darren Holmes should make his first start of the season in defence as a replacement for Bailes. Glapwell should provide a stern test after last week inflicting on Goole their first league defeat of the campaign.

In the West Yorkshire League premier division, as Nestl Rowntree travel to Pudsey, back on track York RI travel to one of the title favourites, Carlton Athletic, fresh from their 3-2 win over Whitkirk Wanderers last week.

Fourth-placed Carlton, one place above RI, suffered a major set-back last Saturday when they were crushed 7-2 at home by table-toppers Nostell Miners Welfare.

Into the RI ranks comes 18-year-old Ben Coxon, adapt at playing centre-half or in midfield, who has impressed in the second team.

WYL bottom club Knaresborough Town continue their break from league action when they welcome Shelf United to Manse Lane in their West Riding County Cup replay after the two sides drew 1-1 last week.

Nick Dingwall is expected to take over from Jonathan Jackson in the Town goal after work commitments ruled him out last week.

After being without a fixture last week, New Earswick Under-19s will be looking to make it four wins on the bounce in the Northern Youth Academy when they play newcomers Doncaster Rovers on Sunday.

After a slow start to the campaign, the York youngsters have underlined their title potential in their last three outings by bagging 14 goals while conceding one.

But Sunday's match against the junior side of the Nationwide Conference club, largely made up of full-time trainees, should prove New Earswick's biggest test to date.

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