Harrogate Town manager John Reed is turning to fun training to lift the spirits of his side ahead of their important clash with third-placed Barrow tomorrow.

Town have seen their recent UniBond League premier division form plummet only weeks after an impressive unbeaten run, leaving the players low in confidence.

But experienced boss Reed is confident he can turn things around.

He said: "I've got to try to get my lads' confidence up a bit. At the moment they are a little bit down but that's my job to pick them up.

"Hopefully a bit of fun in training will boost morale."

Tomorrow's match will be the fifth meeting between the two premier teams this season.

Barrow put Harrogate out of the FA Cup and the FA Trophy - after a replay - but Town came up with the goods at Barrow in the league with an outstanding performance securing the win.

Big man Marc Smith will be back in the squad to terrorise the Barrow back line with his 6ft 5in tall frame after a six-week suspension, and ex-Scarborough sentinel Michael McNaughton will also return after missing the Alfreton game due to fire service training.

In other news, Reed is looking at a recently released Rotherham United player in training with a view to signing him, while striker Robbie Whellans has turned down a loan move to Rossendale United.

Goole AFC travel to Northern Counties East League premier division leaders Brigg Town tomorrow hoping to throw off their current dip in form.

Joint manager Jimmy Reid said: "We have lost the last two or three by the odd goal after a good run so it's just a case of getting a win under our belts and taking it from there."

Leading scorer Danny Farthing is still out of the equation with a niggling injury and Kevin Graham will also be out for another week. Matt Willoughby is a third doubt.

Pickering Town boss Steve Brown has hailed Selby Town as the team of the season so far going into tomorrow's big NCEL premier division top six clash.

And he knows it will not be easy to overturn them.

"Selby will be tough," he said. "Up to two or three weeks ago, Selby have been the team of the season but they have had a little blip and they won't be happy with that.

"It is a game we are looking forward to - we always tend to look forward to the big ones - and we will approach it like any other."

Pickering, meanwhile, are currently in a good position to mount a charge for promotion with eight games in hand over some of their top six rivals.

Brown added: "We are in a promising position but we have got a horrendous pile-up of fixtures which could work for, or against, us."

Harrogate Railway will unveil a new centre-half partnership for their visit to fellow mid-tablers Eccleshill United.

Charlie Bradshaw signed from Garforth Town this week and will join Scott Bairstow from UniBond Premier strugglers Wakefield & Emley, who was a last-minute inclusion before last week's defeat.

Other good news for Rail fans will be the return of top scorer Steve Davey after a six-week ban although Andy Shuttleworth is a slight doubt with an ankle injury.

Boss Martin Haresign said: "We drew with Eccleshill 1-1 earlier in the season when I first took over and I think we have improved enough to expect all three points.

"But having said that, we expected to get three points on Saturday but we got beat, so that's an extra incentive for us."

NCEL division one side Tadcaster Albion are at home to promotion-chasing Yorkshire Amateur.

Updated: 10:57 Friday, March 12, 2004