PICKERING Town boss Paul Marshall has set his team the target of replicating their terrific away form of the last 12 months at their Mill Lane home during 2017.

And that process will begin with a crucial clash against fellow Northern Counties East League promotion hopefuls Bridlington this afternoon.

The Pikes’ record on the road of 17 wins, two draws and one defeat represented the best average points’ return of any club who plied their trade in the league in 2016.

Marshall’s men are currently on a run of 11 straight away victories and are unbeaten on their travels during 18 matches this season.

But the biggest threat to Pickering’s title push would appear to be presented by fortunes on their own soil, where they have already lost five times during 2016/17 and only boast the tenth-best home record of all NCEL outfits during the last calendar year.

“We’ve done well away from home and we shouldn’t have lost the one game we did last year at Worksop, because we gave a penalty away to lose 2-1 when the ball was in our keeper’s hands and a player got involved with something in the box,” Marshall reasoned.

“But my team talk against Bridlington will be if we can do it away, why not at home as well? We’ve got to make Mill Lane a fortress.”

The Pikes finished sixth during Marshall’s first campaign at the helm last season and are hoping to eclipse their highest-ever finish of second in the premier division standings, which was achieved in 1993, having moved up to the same position following a 3-2 triumph at Brid on Boxing Day.

That result placed them ten points behind leaders Cleethorpes with three games in hand, but the Seaside outfit are unlikely to slip up today as they play host to bottom-of-the-table Barton, who they defeated 6-0 last week.

Three goals in a 21-minute, second-half spell from Nick Thompson, Joseph Danby and Billy Logan saw Pickering wipe out Joel Sutton’s opener for Brid in the first festive fixture between the two teams, rendering Andrew Norfolk’s 77th-minute reply from the penalty spot a mere consolation.

The Mill Lane outfit also won 1-0 at Brid earlier this season in the FA Vase, although Russ Parker is ruled out after an ugly tackle that saw the hosts’ top scorer Brett Agnew red-carded last Monday.

Striker Billy Logan is also absent, meaning Ged Dalton could be pressed into action after eight weeks out due to broken ribs.

Curtis Woodhouse’s Bridlington have also won their last nine away games since losing an FA Cup second qualifying round replay 3-2 at Harrogate Town and boast a 55-goal striking partnership in Agnew and Sutton, who have netted 29 and 26 times respectively this term.

Agnew can play with his suspension not yet in force, but the visitors will be without banned skipper and influential midfielder Tom Fleming, while Ben Lewis, Jamie Forrester and Jordan Harrison are all still doubtful due to injury.

Pickering are hoping to beat the season’s biggest crowd of 284 for last month’s 5-0 FA Vase defeat to Shildon.

In the first division, ninth-placed Selby will be looking to complete a festive double over a Hall Road Rangers side, managed by ex-Robins chief Dave Ricardo, who left the Fairfax Plant Hire Stadium in February.

High-fliers Hall Road would move within three points of leaders AFC Emley if they win their two games in hand, but lost 2-1 at Selby on Boxing Day with 11-goal top marksman Liam Flanagan taking his recent tally to four in three games and Josh O’Neill also on target.

In the Evo-Stik League first division north, mid-table Tadcaster Albion will travel to title hopefuls Farsley Celtic bidding for a third straight away win, following the 3-2 triumph at Radcliffe and the 5-1 County Cup success over Yorkshire Amateur.

Defender Andy Milne remains doubtful with a twisted knee.