ANCHORED to the foot of the Northern Counties East League premier division, Pickering Town have turned to an old boy to get their season back on course.

The Pikes have recruited midfield mainspring James Drinkall, who is also an assistant professional at Malton and Norton Golf Club, to aid their climb from an unpromising start to the campaign capped by last week's FA Cup preliminary round exit to NCEL top-flight derby rivals Selby Town.

Drinkall is currently with UniBond League outfit Whitby Town but Pikes boss Mark Wood has liaised with his Whitby counterpart Lee Nogan, the former York City striker, to enable Drinkall to return to the Recreation Ground to help his former club out.

The Pikes, who have secured a mere two points from four games to leave them in bottom place, travel to Maltby Main tomorrow, where a victory would at least allow them to leapfrog their hosts, let alone make ground on a pack of other clubs who have also suffered a dismal opening.

Selby Town, meanwhile, will have a major selection poser as they bid to restore their league campaign to more profitable margins after their Bank Holiday loss to Winterton Rangers.

Since then the Robins have been buoyed by successive cup wins - toppling Pickering from the FA Cup and then staging a second-half rally to oust Parkgate from the President's Cup opening round.

For that second success Selby had rested a trio of key players in Christian Fox, Mark Staley and Tom Reid. All will come into contention for the visit to Long Eaton United. The game will also act as a spur of revenge, said assistant manager Gary Cygan.

"We got turned over 3-0 there last season, so it would be nice to get one back over them," he said.

Harrogate Town's driving start to the Blue Square North campaign will be expected to continue when they host Vauxhall Motors tomorrow.

Town are one of just two teams still unbeaten in the season so far and trail leaders Kettering Town by a mere two points.

It's a twist of romance for Harrogate Railway Athletic.

The Rail head across the Pennines to visit the Bury FC base of FC United of Manchester, the team which rose from the after-taste of the Glazer family's takeover of Manchester United. That prompted the formation of a new club which has enjoyed three promotions.