MITCH COOK could look to bolster his squad after Pickering Town crashed to their fifth defeat in the last seven games when Staveley Miners Welfare took a 2-0 victory away from the Recreation Ground.

The Pikes are not in Northern Counties East League premier division action this weekend, returning to duty next Tuesday night against Maltby Main, and manager Cook may have brought some new faces to Mill Lane by the time a ball is next kicked in anger.

After a heartening performance, albeit in defeat, against Tadcaster Albion in their previous outing, Pickering reverted to type and Cook was left disappointed.

“I really believe if we had done 50 per cent of what we did against Tadcaster we would have comfortably won the game against Staveley,” he said.

“We dominated the game without playing very well.

“When that’s the situation we have to draw the game 0-0 - but we just can’t do it.”

He added: “We’ve got a week off, which is going to help.

“We were without Tony Hackworth and Chris Batchelor was only 50 per cent. The extra time will help them recover.

“They will come back but maybe there is someone to come in between now and next Tuesday.”

Pickering’s latest defeat - their third on the spin - means they have picked up just 14 points from 13 games and are 13th in the league table.