PICKERING Town manager Paul Marshall hopes this weekend's FA Vase clash against Shildon will attract the biggest gate of the season to Mill Lane.

Striker Billy Logan is set to start on the bench for the Northern Counties East League outfit after re-signing for the club on Wednesday morning.

Logan, 26, stepped away from semi-professional football two summers ago after becoming a father but has been a regular goalscorer in local league football

The Pikes have beaten Bridlington Town, Consett AFC and AFC Darwin to reach the second round proper and are now six victories away from the final at Wembley.

Marshall, who guided Tadcaster Albion to the quarter-final stages of the competition two seasons ago, knows that Northern League side Shildon will be regarded as favourites but he is looking to upset the odds.

"Winning the FA Vase is probably the biggest thing on the agenda for the Northern League clubs," he said. "Other than playing North Shields or South Shields, this is probably the toughest draw we could have landed.

"They will be desperate to progress and we are the big outsiders.

"But, as a manager, I have produced cup shocks before and I will do it again."

Around 150 supporters have been attending games at Mill Lane this season and the biggest attendance was 239 for the opening league match against Worksop Town.

However, with top professional clubs on the international break this weekend and both York City and Scarborough Athletic on the road, the club is keen to attract new fans and break the 300 barrier.

Although currently sixth in the NCEL premier division, the Pikes have games in hand on all the clubs higher up the table and have won 13 of their last 16 games in all competitions.

Defensively, they have been in superb form and last weekend's 1-0 victory at third-placed Liversedge secured a tenth clean sheet from 14 league games.

Opponents Shildon, meanwhile, are currently fourth in the Northern League first division but will go top of the table if they win their six games in hand.

They were due to be in action on Wednesday night against league leaders North Shields but the game was called off due to snow on the pitch, a call-off which could work against the Pikes if it helps to keep the County Durham side fresh.

Marshall, meanwhile, is planning to hold talks with Goole Town winger Will Waudby this weekend about a possible move to Mill Lane.

Waudby has only been with Goole a few weeks after leaving Bridlington Town.

Former Pikes defender Matty Turnbull has insisted that "footballing reasons" were the only motivation behind his recent move to Scarborough Athletic.

Pikes manager Marshall had expressed disappointment over Turnbull's departure - which arose after he turned out for Old Malton St Mary's reserves in a York Minster Engineering League game.

But Turnbull, who is expected to line up for Scarborough against Droylsden this weekend in Evo-Stik League division one north, said: "I moved because it was an opportunity to play at a higher level of football.

"I don't want anyone thinking I left under a 'dark cloud' because, as far as I am concerned, that was not the case.

"I didn't want to look back and regret not taking the chance. I enjoyed my time at Pickering Town and I want them to win the league this season."