Defeat’s deflation not an option for Pickering Town (From Gazette & Herald)

Defeat’s deflation not an option for Pickering Town

By Steve Carroll »

Pickering Town must not lose when they host Nostell Miners Welfare at the Recreation Ground, says manager Jimmy Reid.

His side picked up a very valuable point against Northern Counties East League premier division leaders Retford last weekend only to fall 4-2 at Grangetown Old Boys in the quarter-final of the North Riding Senior Cup in Teesside on Tuesday.

Reid will be boosted by the return of forward Liam Salt and Joel Ramm, who were among a number of first-teamers to miss the cup clash, and with Nostell four points ahead of Pickering in the table, he sees it as a perfect chance to close the gap.

But key, he stressed, is to make sure that points deficit does not widen.

“If they beat us it means we are seven points away from them,” he said. “If we beat them we are right on their tail. They are big tough lads and it will be a typical sort of game in that respect. Three points is what I want but, at the end of the day, the bottom line is not to be beaten – end of story.

“That’s how we approach it and anything else is a bonus.”

Selby Town entertain Winterton Rangers looking to snap a ten-game losing streak.

Club secretary Tommy Arkley described the Robins’ 6-0 defeat at Brighouse last weekend as “shocking”, and one of the worst displays of what has proved a troubled season at Flaxley Road.

With defeat leaving manager Graham Hodder’s side five points adrift of second-bottom Maltby Main, albeit with a game in hand, and 11 points away from Lincoln Moorlands Railway, Selby simply have to start picking up wins.

“The players are putting 100 per cent effort in with little reward but the situation is now looking desperate,” said Arkley. “All we can hope for is the fans don’t desert us in our hour of need and try to cheer the guys on to victory in our remaining home games at least.”