Premier Preview: Massive game for North Ferriby

Bottom-club North Ferriby United will go in search for a first away win of the season at Grantham Town.

The Villagers have won just once all season and already sit three points adrift at the bottom, having played four more games than their nearest rivals, and a goal difference of -31.

Grantham curbed an eight game losing streak in some style last weekend, hammering North Ferriby’s nearest rivals Workington 4-1 at Borough Park.

North Ferriby boss Paul Foot told the club’s official website: “I feel it’s a massive game at weekend. We need to start taking the positives we have seen in games and make them count.

“We’ve lost a number of players in recent weeks but that means I am left with players who want to be here. It takes a special person to be able to turn up week in week out and keep believing that somewhere it will change!

“The lads that stay and fight are the ones that I want at this club. There’s no moping around, there’s no blaming other people. The lads are in good spirits and want to get Ferriby out of the relegation zone.

“We’ve played three of the top five teams in the league recently and we have been punished when we’ve made individual errors. They have used their experience to punish us. I still believe we can get out of the relegation zone but the lads just have to believe in themselves and know how to manage the game when they’re on the pitch.”

Lowly Marine face a tough trip to high-flying Nantwich Town, who currently sit in second place four points behind leaders Scarborough Athletic, who host play-off chasing Gainsborough Trinity.

Two teams who seem to show contrasting form on a regular basis meet at Keys Park as 11th placed Hednesford Town host Mickleover Sports.

Sports have lost just once at home all season, but their away record is a stark contrast, with a win, two draws and seven defeats.

The Pitmen are a team that are capable of competing with the top teams, as they showed with a win over Warrington Town recently, but can also slump to unexpected defeats.

Manager Rob Smith said: “Games with Mickleover have always been keenly contested, as was seen when we went down to a one goal defeat at their place earlier in the season, but hopefully we can get the right result for us on Saturday.

“The season continues to take the same vein for us right now, we look like we are going to get on an unbeaten run but then shoot ourselves in the foot and suffer defeat, as happened at Hyde last Saturday. Fingers crossed we can put that right this weekend.”

With five games called off due to FA Trophy commitments, Whitby Town’s visit to Stafford Rangers was re-arranged for this Saturday to keep both teams in action, with Stafford particularly looking to put distance between themselves and the bottom three.

At the other end of the table, Warrington will be wanting to end their indifferent run of form as they welcome Hyde United to Cantilever Park.

The Yellows are hoping to add a striker in time for kick-off and slipped out of the play-off places courtesy of Gainsborough’s midweek win at Bamber Bridge.

Brig - along with Workington and North Ferriby - are one of three sides without an away win all season and they face a tough trip to Buxton to end that run.

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