SECOND-PLACED Pickering Town will be "massively disappointed" if they don't cut the gap to Cleethorpes at the top of the Northern Counties East League premier division tomorrow.

The Pikes are 12 points behind the Lincolnshire side but have three games in hand, one of which takes place tomorrow at home to basement side Barton Town Old Boys (3pm) while the leaders are off in FA Vase action.

They hope to have in-form striker Billy Logan back, too, after he was unavailable for the New Year draw with Bridlington, a result which took their unbeaten run to ten games.

Boss Paul Marshall - satisfied with four points from the two games against promotion rivals Brid, even though the visitors played much of both with only ten men - certainly expects a maximum haul tomorrow against a team who endured a major player exodus in the summer and have since collected only 11 points from 28 games under former Scarborough joint-manager Paul Foot.

"I feel a bit sorry for them - they're having to work on a shoestring with a lot of young kids," said Marshall of Foot's predicament.

"We helped them out earlier in the season after we beat them 7-0 by loaning them Callum Richardson, and they've improved since then with Gary Allanson, the ex-Bridlington boss, now in there as coach.

"But Cleethorpes have just put nine goals past them in two games and we'll be massively disappointed if we don't get a win."

Next Tuesday, the Pikes play their rearranged North Riding County FA Senior Cup tie against Northern League division one outfit Marske United at Mill Lane (7.45pm).

Harrogate Railway, who have been inactive over New Year, return to action at home to Athersley Recreation looking to extend their two-match winning run.

Inconsistent Selby Town will likewise seek maximum points at home to lowly Rossington Main in division one.

The Robins beat Hall Road Rangers 2-1 at home on Boxing Day but lost the New Year rematch 4-1, losing Jamie Hainsworth to injury in the process.

It is a similar story for Knaresborough Town, who won one and lost one of their festive double-header against Yorkshire Amateur. They now seek victory at straggling bottom side Nostell Miners Welfare.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Town host 16th-placed Alfreton Town in National League North looking for revenge.

Alfreton made it three straight wins over Simon Weaver's team when they ended Gate's unbeaten start to the season back in September, with Dan Bradley claiming the only goal of the game. Bradley has since joined league leaders AFC Fylde, however, while young goalkeeper Ross Etheridge, a hero of the 3-2 New Year win over Telford thanks to his late double save, has also now left, recalled by parent club Doncaster Rovers.

Alfreton are unbeaten in four games in all competitions, but are without a win in their last five away trips - conceding goals remaining an issue, with a league high of 33 shipped on the road.

For their part, Harrogate need a run of wins to get back into the play-off picture, having now gone three without victory, but they will be buoyed by a fortunate late equaliser at Stockport County on New Years’ Day.

Dominic Knowles, who struck the woodwork in the last meeting with Alfreton, remains sidelined by injury.