Farsley Celtic braced for toughest test of the season

Athletic are currently 10 points above fourth-placed Celtic but Adam Lakeland’s men have three games in hand and victory tomorrow would put Farsley right back in the promotion picture.

Remarkably, Scarborough have won seven of their nine away games so far this season while Farsley have won five of their eight home games, only losing one.

Frickley Athletic will be under new management for their Evo-Stik East home clash with Morpeth tomorrow following the resignation of Spencer Fearn.

John Stancliffe has moved up from assistant to interim manager after Fearn stood down to take up an academy coaching position at Football League Championship club Sheffield Wednesday.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, to be a manager,” said Stancliffe. “It’s not under the circumstances I’d like – I’d like Spencer to still be here, but he’s not. It’s about getting the club back up to where it needs to be – and will be.

“After speaking to the boys in the dressing room they know for a fact that this club will finish this season well and things will turn round. They knew that anyway, they didn’t need Spencer to be leaving the club for that to hit home.”

Frickley director Ryan McKnight paid tribute to the departing Fearn. He said: “Congratulations to Spencer. He has been absolutely ferocious in developing himself and he’s obviously educated himself up to the point where a Championship club feel comfortable that he is taking on a fantastic role there that is full-time.”

Elsewhere in the Evo-Stik East tomorrow, fourth-placed Brighouse Town host the team directly below them in the table – Belper Town.

Seventh-placed Tadcaster Albion could move into the top three – if results go their way and they beat AFC Mansfield at home.

Eighth-placed Ossett United travel to Sheffield FC, Pontefract Collieries host rock-bottom Cleethorpes Town and next-to-bottom Pickering Town visit Carlton Town.

****

Yorkshire Amateur will hope to put their cup defeat behind them in order to maintain their grip at the top of the NCE Premier when they host Bottesford Town.

Neil Sibson’s side exited the league cup on Tuesday, losing out 2-1 to Handsworth Parramore, despite having taken the lead through top-scorer Ashley Flynn.

The defeat ended the Ammer’s five-game winning run, but they will come up against a Bottesford team tomorrow also smarting from a cup exit after they went down 3-1 at Albion Sports.

Elsewhere, third-placed Knaresborough Town are one of the teams aiming to close the gap on the leaders when they host Albion Sports. The Boro also saw a promising run of form end when their five-game winning streak was halted by a 3-0 defeat at Hallam in the cup on Tuesday. Knaresborough are enjoying an eight-match unbeaten run in the league and seeking to turn their home draws into wins.

Garforth Town welcome high-fliers Bridlington Town with Rob Hunter’s outfit looking for their first league win since overcoming Thackley on September 29.

On the back of Liversedge’s spectacular 10-2 cup victory at home to Armthorpe Welfare in midweek, Jonathan Rimmington’s side will host Athersley Recreation knowing a win could take them above the visitors.

Harrogate Railway Athletic have slumped to the foot of the table having failed to win since August 22 and will hope to turn that form around when they host mid-table Maltby Main.

Hemsworth MW take a break from league action when they travel to Salford-based Irlam in the second round of the FA Vase.

In Division One, Nostell MW host Parkgate, while Selby Town travel to Derbyshire to take on FC Bolsover.

Glasshoughton Welfare welcome Winterton Rangers while AFC Emley hope home advantage will enable them to get the better of Grimsby Borough.