THE reinforcements are arriving swiftly for Pickering Town boss Mitch Cook who has now challenged his side to summon a surge up the Northern Counties East League premier division table.

Chris Batchelor's late goal at Athersley Recreation rescued a point for the Pikes in a 3-3 draw and capped a week for the club that began with a 7-0 home demolition of Maltby Main on Tuesday night.

With Tony Hackworth completing half an hour of the game, Wayne Aziz playing the full 90 and Robbie Hawkes about to serve the final match of his suspension when Cook's men host Garforth Town on Saturday, the Recreation Ground manager's squad is starting to approach full strength for the first time this season.

That has got Cook urging his players to string a run of wins together that elevates them from their 12th place position in the league.

"We were disappointed we didn't win the game," Cook said of the Athersley draw. "I thought we dominated and some of the lads were really disappointed with a few things that went on in the game. We got the point but we are disappointed we didn't get all three.

"The resilience is coming back to the squad. The senior players are back involved and they are players that lead by example. Tony Hackworth got a good half an hour in and you would expect him to be fit for Saturday, while Wayne Aziz also got a full game under the belt.

"These players can organise when things aren't going well. Robbie Hawkes serves the last game of his suspension against Garforth and we are nearly getting there. We have got a run of games and we could soon have a full squad. Let's see if we can get one of those runs that us shooting up the table."

Pickering went in front against Athersley on 18 minutes when Lewis Taylor slotted the ball into the bottom corner. It was a lead they kept until the break but, on the resumption, Danny Joynes, Lee Bennett and Josh Moore all had very good chances in the opening ten minutes.

Athersley equalised with 68 minutes on the clock. Moore lobbed Toby Wells after he latched onto a fine through ball and, eight minutes later, the forward netted again to put the home side in front.

Pickering were back on terms within seconds through Joel Ramm but Athersley went back in front on 81 minutes in controversial fashion. Ramm put the ball out for a player to receive treatment only to watch a quick throw-in to Lee Bennett, who advanced into the box and drove it across goal - off a Pikes defender - in to the net.

But the equaliser came in equally bizarre fashion.

Batchelor's shot struck an upright and came back into play but the Pikes appealed and, after some delay, the referee ruled the shot had hit the stanchion at the back of the goal and allowed it to stand.

Kick-off in the game against Maltby Main earlier in the week was delayed for 25 minutes because the visitors struggled to reach Mill Lane. They may have wished they had not arrived at all as Pickering ascended into seventh heaven.

Lewis Taylor scored after 11 minutes, while Billy Logan, Ramm and Joe Danby all got two each.

Garforth, next up, are 14th in the table - a point behind Pickering - and Cook said: "It's at home. It is a winnable game. We had a great win last time at home. Other teams, like Staveley and Barton, have gone on runs that have got them up the table and we are looking to do the same."

The Pikes are also in action next Tuesday, November 11, at Parkgate (kick off 7.45pm).