RADCLIFFE Borough take on league leaders Harrogate Town at Stainton Park tomorrow in what has become a "must win game" for Kevin Glendon's men.

Victory would rekindle any lingering hopes of pegging back Harrogate in the race for the championship. Although Town do have three games in hand on Boro, a win for Radcliffe would narrow the gap to six points and put the pressure on the North Yorkshire side.

It would also help to keep Eastwood Town at bay as they push hard for that second automatic place, currently occupied by the Boro.

Eastwood picked up what was a pleasing point for them in a dour 0-0 draw at Harrogate last Saturday and look to be in with a chance of more success at relegation-threatened Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday.

"Eastwood put ten men behind the ball and got what they came for, " said Harrogate manager John Reed. "They were delighted with it, but we were, to say the least, not happy."

The stalemate ended a run of nine straight wins for Harrogate, but extended their unbeaten run to a staggering 23 games in the league this season.

Town have not tasted defeat since the opening day of the season when they went down 2-1 at Lincoln United and Reed declared: "I haven't experienced a run like this in all my 23 years as a manager.

"I am just very lucky that I have a squad of players who won't accept defeat. They fight for every ball and long may that attitude continue."

Reed reckons his side will be in for their toughest test of the season tomorrow. He added: "From day one I have said that Radcliffe are the best side we will come up against and they still are by a long way. We know it will be a tough encounter."

Talking of tough, Radcliffe won't have to face the threat of big, burly striker Ian Blackstone on Saturday. He has gone back to Farsley Celtic on loan, where he has scored twice in three games and should be nicely primed for the run-in when he returns, suitably rejuvenated, a week on Saturday.

The scoring mantle has been taken up by 17-goal Robbie Whellans, who joined Harrogate, along with Blackstone, at the start of the season.

He should be partnered up front tomorrow by Darren Fell, who has scored once in two starts since joining from Doncaster Rovers a month ago.

A striking partnership will be something Glendon will be pondering as he seeks to get Boro back on track after winning just once in their last five league outings.

Ian Lunt put himself in the frame with a goal in the 2-1 defeat at Guiseley a week last Saturday, Boro's last outing, but Glendon is likely to stick with top gun Jody Banim and may recall Richard Landon to partner him as he seeks to rekindle the spark that took Boro to the top of the table in the first half of the season.

Neither side have any injury worries, but Boro will be without Richard Battersby as he completes a three-match ban, with recent signing Barrie Keeling likely to fill in at right wing back.