PAUL MARSHALL reckons his "improving" Pickering Town side can be a force in the second half of the season, writes Ross Kennerley.

Marshall claims his Pickering side have been getting better “as the season has gone on” and he believes that puts them in good stead for the remainder of the Northern Counties East League premier division campaign with their next league match seeing them face sixth placed Handsworth Paramore on Saturday.

The reverse fixture saw Paramore run out 3-0 winners in the opening match of the season back in August, a game in which Marshall believes his side showed them “too much respect”.

Poor weather has prevented Pickering from playing since the middle of last month, when they produced a minor shock with a 3-2 win at fourth-placed Cleethorpes Town.

It is part of a run of form which has seen the Pikes pick up 11 points from a possible 15, including wins against the sides placed fourth, fifth and 12th in the table.

It is a run which has pleased Marshall, who is half-way through his first season in charge of the club.

“It is a very tight league but we have been on a decent run recently and beat some very good sides along the way. We know we can cause other teams problems,” said Marshall. He added: "If we can take this with us for the rest of the season then I’m positive we’ll do well.”

Pickering are 11th place in the league on 36 points and, while mid-table would constitute a good season for a club with a new manager, Marshall is looking ahead.

He explained: “We know it would be very difficult to make it into the top five so we’re aiming at top six or seven this year which we’d be delighted with.”

The Pikes have been hit with a string of injuries to key players this season but Town hope to have assistant manager Denny Ingram, defender Niall Tilsley, goalkeeper Peter Lawrie and Sam Calvert back in the squad.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries to key players this season which has been a disappointment for us,” said Marshall. “This has meant that we’ve had 12 lads from the U23 come in and they’ve done extremely well for us when called upon.”

Selby Town boss Dave Ricardo is not optimistic his side are about to get into NCEL division one action this weekend.

The Robins are set to entertain Winterton Rangers tomorrow but the manager believes the continuing rain has left the tie at Flaxley Road in severe doubt.

Ricardo revealed pumps have been working 12 hours a day to take water off the pitch but would still be fighting a losing battle if the downpours continued.

Selby haven't been in competitive action since December 8 and saw their match against Bottesford Town on Tuesday night called off.

They were able to train last Saturday and, if their Winterton game falls victim to the weather, Ricardo has arranged a friendly against premier division Barton Town Old Boys on a 3G pitch in Beverley.

The frustrated chief said: "It's not looking good, to be fair. We trained at Thorpe Willoughby and that was the first time the lads had a kit on since the first week in December.

"We have had the pumps on full for 12 hours a day but it is not shifting it and we don't know where the weather is going. It's very doubtful (the game will go ahead).

"It probably needs 72 hours at least with no rain and drying weather and I believe rain is forecast for Saturday. I have planned in my mind that our first game back would probably be Yorkshire Amateur a week on Saturday."

Elsewhere, Knaresborough Town are scheduled to entertain Teversal in NCEL division one, while, in Evo-Stirk first division north, Harrogate Railway travel to Lancaster City and Scarborough Athletic host Bamber Bridge.

Harrogate Town take a trip to Hednesford in National League North.