IN-form Pickering Town will face a tough examination over the Easter weekend, according to manager Paul Marshall.

His sixth-placed outfit play Worksop Town on Saturday, who are one place above them in the Northern Counties East League premier division, and then visit seventh-placed Staveley Miners Welfare on Easter Monday, who they also met on Tuesday in a rearranged match at Mill Lane.

For Marshall, two such fixtures against similar sides in such a short space of time represents a stern test, "We've got a tough run of games coming up now and it'll be a real test for us over the weekend with the long journeys.

"It will be hard on the lads but I've told them every game will be tough from here on on.

"We're neck and neck with Worksop and can go above them.

"That we've got where we have, after losing the first three games of the season, is a great credit to what the players have achieved."

The Pikes are in the midst of a remarkable run of results, having won nine and drawn one of their last ten games.

Marshall's ability to consistently select from the same group of players has coincided with their recent revival.

This is no fluke, according to the Recreation Ground chief, who believes that his team are still some way from their best, "We're still not where we want to be, we give the ball away far too much.

Marshall gave credit to his side: "Liam (Shepherd) and Mitch (Hamilton) have given us another dimension and it's down to the great squad of players we have, really.

"If we'd had those players at the start of the season we would be right up there."

Pickering have made a further addition to their ranks in the shape of Vincent Dhesi who arrives from Harrogate Railway until the end of the season.

Dhesi, who has struggled to force his way into Railway's first-team following injury, will add technical prowess according to Marshall, his former boss at Tadcaster Albion.

"He will give us an extra body, he's very technical and was great for me at Taddy.

"He can come in and give us an extra dimension for the run-in if we need it."

Tadcaster Albion are hot on the heels of NCEL Premier Division leaders Handsworth Parramore and the Brewers will be aiming to make the Easter fixtures count in the quest for the title.

Albion appeared to have suffered a blip with midweek defeats against Staveley and Clipstone which allowed the Sheffield side to take over at the top but as manager Billy Miller points out: "We have earned 27 points out 33 which is a phenomenal achievement.

"In the last ten games of the season one team could get ahead and one could slip up in the next few weeks or we will go head to head and at the end the one who is stronger will win the league title."

Albion were boosted by a comprehensive 5-0 win at Nostell last Saturday and they gave everything to progress in the NCE League Cup match at Grimsby Borough on Tuesday when the Brewers progressed with a 2-1 win in extra time after a goalless 90 minutes.

"We have talked about being positive and trying to win every game so we put a full strength side out. We could have done without extra time sure but it was a good test for us."

Miller is pleased he has a strong squad for an Easter programme which sees his side entertain third-placed Cleethorpes on Saturday before a trip to Garforth Town who are 15th on Tuesday night with a 7.45pm kick-off.

"We left Jordan Armstrong out on Tuesday night as a precaution and hopefully he will be fit for Saturday, Josh Barrett is still injured."