Gauging The Opposition

Yes, the title is a weak pun tenuously related to trains but I'm allowed to make one, aren't I?

It's our second visit of the season to Station View as Mossley look to put their season back on track (okay, two feeble puns about trains) against Harrogate Railway Athletic.

That initial meeting between the two sides was back in September and the spoils were shared in a 1 - 1 draw; Gareth hamlet scoring a late equaliser to earn Mossley a point.

As is so often the case with railways, the weather is going to play an important factor as to whether we go there or not. The forecast seems reasonable for tomorrow but it all depends on how much wet stuff has fallen on it in the preceding few days.

That said their recently televised FA Cup game against Mansfield was played in horrendous conditions with the pitch resembling a bar of chocolate in a bain marie, so who knows? Then again there isn't thousands of pounds worth of television money at stake this time is there?

If there are to be adverse conditions, keep your fingers crossed for snow as they it seems like they could combat that, judging by the grit mountain behind one side of the ground.

On the pitch Railway have had a worse time of it than us recently, having failed to pick up a win in their last seven games, though the draws do outnumber the defeats.

The Lilywhites (eight points and three places above Railway) will be hoping for their first win in 2008 but will have to do it without the services of Martin Allison; the midfielder set to miss his first game of the season through suspension

Prediction: Given recent results I’d be more than happy with a draw, which is what I think we'll get.