TADCASTER ALBION boss Paul Marshall believes you can split the Northern Counties East League Premier into two divisions - after only six games of the new campaign.

The Brewers entertain Maltby Main tomorrow surfing the crest of a wave after disposing of table-toppers Handsworth Parramore 3-0 last Saturday and then putting five past Retford United at Ings Lane on Tuesday.

Albion have won their last five league games and sit fifth in the table. They are already six points clear of Garforth, who are in sixth, and Marshall reckons the top five could soon carve out a significant gap between themselves and the rest of the stragglers.

“That’s a problem,” said the Taddy manager. “At the back end of the season, a lot of these other teams will call it a day. The lack of play-offs makes the league slightly undervalued.”

The club boast the top-flight’s leading scorer in Josh Greening. Seven of his 11 goals have come in the last two games with a 14-minute second half hat-trick at Handsworth followed by four in the 5-1 victory over Retford.

Marshall added: “He was unreal on Tuesday night - brilliant. He has power, pace, he works backwards and forwards - which is something he has not done in the past.

“We have got quite a few goalscorers. Obviously Carl Stewart is out for at least five weeks because of a Sunday suspension and other players have had to step up to the mark. Josh has done that in no uncertain terms.”

Marshall now wants his squad to keep their foot to the floor when Maltby come to town. “At the end on Tuesday night we were disappointed because we said that good teams keep it going into the second half and we didn’t do it.

“But I was quite pleased in a way. It gives us something to focus on.”

Pickering Town boss Mitch Cook will be hoping his side can embrace home comforts.

After playing six of their first eight NCEL premier division games on the road, the Pikes did not enjoy a happy homecoming to the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night as they were beaten 4-1 by Worksop Town.

Bottom of the table Barton Town Old Boys, who have yet to pick up a point this season, are next to arrive at Mill Lane tomorrow and Cook said: “We have to make sure we don’t disappoint at home.

“They are bottom of the league but they finished runners-up last year. It doesn’t get any easier.

“I will be happy if we win. In the last two away games we picked up four points. It is meaningless if we don’t do enough at home.”