TADCASTER Albion face an uphill battle over the coming weeks as they contest a congested fixture schedule with several injury concerns.
Tomorrow’s Evo-Stik League division one north fixture at 18th-placed Skelmersdale United will be the Brewers’ first of eight in four weeks, which Jay Taylor, a club spokesman, said will be made harder by the lack of a full squad.
Among the casualties from last Saturday's 2-0 home defeat to leaders South Shields match are attacker Adam Baker - who will be out for some weeks after suffering a ruptured knee ligament - and Josh Barrett, who was concussed but should be available tomorrow.
When the sides met in October, Skem came away from the i2i Stadium with a 2-1 win. Josh Greening got the goal for Albion, who currently sit in mid-table eight points above the Merseysiders.
This time out, Taylor is anticipating a full-blooded affair.
He said: “We had a few knocks to the squad and it’s going to be tough with the injuries. We’ve got a good youth set-up, though, so we might have to dip into that over the next month.
“It’s going to be a tough game at Skelmersdale. It’s always hard on Merseyside. The football could get a bit ugly - certainly not one for the purists.”
Taylor also seems enthusiastic about the upcoming West Riding County Cup tie against Selby Town, saying: “It’s a great local derby. We haven’t played Selby competitively for a few years now, so it should attract a big crowd.”
Alongside Barrett, Josh Greening, Pete Davidson, Conor Sellars and Lawrance Hunter should all overcome fitness worries tomorrow.
Second-placed Scarborough Athletic, meanwhile, host mid-table Kendal Town. The Seadogs are level on 48 points with South Shields, below them only on goal-difference after last week's win at Droylsden, and will be looking to keep the pressure on at the top.
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