Pickering Town to host Long Eaton United (From York Press)

Pickering Town to host Long Eaton United

10:21am Friday 2nd November 2012 in Sport

A tough challenge lies in store for Pickering Town when they host sharp-shooting seventh-placed Long Eaton United in the Northern Counties East League premier division tomorrow, writes Nick Wright.

The visitors have been on a strong run of late, losing only one of their last nine games, a narrow 3-2 defeat against Heanor Town last Saturday, and will undoubtedly be keen to bounce back to winning ways.

However, Jimmy Reid’s men have only lost once at home this season and boast one of the league’s form players in Liam Salt, who has demonstrated his predatory power by scoring 11 goals in nine games in October.

He was also first on target, followed by Steve Baxter and Simon Sturdy, in the 3-2 midweek North Riding Senior Cup conquest of Thornaby. That took Salt’s tally to 17 goals this term.

Pikes coach Reid said: “Long Eaton are on a bit of a run at the moment, so it’ll be another tough match.

“We need to take what we’ve been doing recently on board and push on.”

Tadcaster Albion will be looking to build on two victories in the space of a week when they welcome premier division mid-table outfit Liversedge to Ings Lane.

The Brewers recorded a hugely impressive 4-1 victory over fifth-placed Barton Town Old Boys last Saturday, followed by a gritty extra-time 2-1 defeat of NCEL division one strugglers Eccleshill United in the second round of the West Riding County Cup in m idweek.

Paul Marshall’s charges have established themselves as genuine title contenders and should have a good chance of victory against a Liversedge side coming off the back of a 7-0 drubbing by Halifax Town in the county cup.

Scarborough Athletic, third in the NCEL top-flight, travel to Scunthorpe to play lowly Winterton Rangers.

The Seadogs will be hoping that key men such as the league’s second highest scorer Ryan Blott can find their form to end a three-match run without a victory.