OLD mates Jimmy Reid and Paul Marshall are hoping their respective teams blow hot tomorrow as Pickering Town and Tadcaster Albion renew rivalries.

The Pikes won 2-0 at Taddy 17 days ago to give Reid bragging rights over his pal and former Goole joint- manager, even if the Ryedale outfit remain eight places in arrears in the Northern Counties East League premier division.

But Marshall is gunning for revenge at Mill Lane tomorrow not only for local pride but to stop a three-game losing rot, which began with derby defeat and continued with an agonising 3-2 West Riding County Cup quarter-final loss at Harrogate Railway in midweek. And he may throw a couple of newcomers in to spice things up, too.

Said Marshall: “Everyone was disappointed with the game a couple of weeks ago, and we’re on a bit of a bad run and need to get back on track.

“Pickering are a funny team. I speak to Jimmy a lot and we both get frustrated. We’ve both got good enough teams to win more games. His team beat Scarborough, Worksop and us (all in the top six) but then lose silly games. We lose games we should win as well.”

He added: “We have good banter and we’re good friends – but he likes to beat me and I like to beat him.”

Tuesday’s game saw Albion level through Andrew McCormick and Tom Owen but hosts Rail, who had gone two up through Colin Hunter and Phil Myles, won it in the dying seconds through Nathan Cartman.

Marshall said: “It was a poor first half and we let in two 25-yarders. In the second half we played well and managed an equaliser in the last minute – only to concede with ten seconds to go.”

In further blows, Chris Kamara (ankle) and Steve Jeff (hamstring) picked up injuries and are doubtful tomorrow. Josh Barrett (ankle) is also out for another fortnight. Marshall is tempted to throw in new recruits Fritz Achaleke, a Belgian attacking midfielder, and Joel Dickson, who has been playing Leeds college football.

Reid will be boosted by the return of 21-goal top-scorer Liam Salt, who was banned for Pickering’s defeat at Parkgate on Saturday.

Said the Scot: “Sometimes we’re the best in the league, at other times you’d think we’d never played football before in our lives.

“The difference with having someone like Liam is that even if you’re not doing great, he’s always liable to get a goal.

“This is a big game. To beat Marshy would be good. A few of our players have played for them and a few of theirs played for us. Hopefully the pitch will be better than Tad’s and we can play a bit more football.”

Another big game sees title-chasing Scarborough Athletic face Worksop Parramore in a table-top clash.

Railway, meanwhile, resume their Evo-Stik League first division north campaign tomorrow at home to Clitheroe, while neighbours Harrogate Town go to Colwyn Bay in Blue Square Bet North.