SOME non-League squads sometimes sag under the weight of crippling fixture congestion by this time of the season - but not Tadcaster Albion.

Without a midweek game in the Northern Counties East League, the Brewers arranged a friendly on Tuesday against National League North side Bradford Park Avenue.

It came about after chats between Taddy manager Billy Miller and Park Avenue counterpart Martin Drury, and played part of preparations for tomorrow's key clash at fellow high-fliers Handsworth Parramore (3pm).

Said Miller: “I’ve been talking to Martin for a few weeks and a friendly has been on the cards.

“It was a chance to play around with formations and have a look at what we’ve got in terms of trialists and young lads coming through.

“It was a great game, played in the right spirit.”

Albion, second in the premier division, will be without Nick Thompson against third-placed Handsworth due to an eye infection.

Miller has espoused a risk-reward, attacking style at the club, which he believes is paying off and can do so again in this crunch clash.

“I’ve had a look at some statistics - there have been 333 goals scored in our division and we’re scored one in five of them,” he said.

“We are scoring three goals a game at the moment and we go to Handsworth with confidence.”

Pickering Town boss Paul Marshall insists his side won't be taking tomorrow’s opponents, Liversedge, lightly despite the visitors' lowly ranking.

He said: “This was obviously a game in which we thought we’d have a good chance of picking up a win.

“Then they beat Barton 4-3, who have beaten some really good sides, so we sat up, took notice and thought that they must be half decent.”

The Pikes will rest Nial Tilsley (ankle), and Denny Ingram is also set to miss out. Nathan Kamara and George Foster are suspended but Ryan Cooper returns from his one-game ban.

Marshall was pleased with the spirit his side showed in winning 1-0 at Bridlington last time.

“We have spoken a lot about the will to win and it was great to see the desire we showed to keep the ball out of our net," he said.

“Peter Lawrie made four world-class saves and it was a great show of spirit from the lads.”

Selby Town were left cursing floodlight failure after their division one game on Tuesday against Westella VIP was called off.

The Robins informed Westella on Sunday about the issue, which is with the light bulbs not the pylons themselves. Technicians could not be called in time.

Manager Dave Ricardo said: “It was just one of those things.

“There was nothing that our volunteers, who work so hard to get the ground in the condition that it is in, could do. It was a game we had targeted to win.”

Ricardo, who described his team’s defending in their recent loss to Hallam as "laissez-faire", is hoping for better when they meet Emley tomorrow. Their main task will be to stop Ashley Flynn, who has scored a staggering 42 goals already this term.

He said: “Emley are a good side with talented players.

“Ashley isn’t the most mobile, so we'll be looking to stop the supply to him through Kieron Ryan. If we play like we did in the second half against Hallam, we have a real chance.

“I will ask the team to be nastier and get in their faces. Emley don’t like being knocked off their stride.”

Knaresborough Town, crushed 4-0 at home by high-riding Bottesford on Tuesday, will hope for better at lowly Worsbrough Bridge.

In Evo-Stik League division one north, Scarborough Athletic host basement side New Mills (2pm), while Harrogate Railway, who crashed 5-0 to Barnoldswick in the West Riding County Cup in midweek, visit fellow strugglers Droylsden.

Harrogate Town have a weekend off in the National League North, with a trip to Boston United on Tuesday their next fixture. Town's postponed West Riding County Cup tie against Brighouse will now be played on Monday, November 16.