BARNOLDSWICK Town's run of four successive postponements has come at a 'shocking time', according to boss Stewart Airdrie.

Barlick looked to have put a four-games winless streak behind them when they shocked higher division opposition Harrogate Railway Athletic in the West Riding County Cup on November 3, winning 5-0 at the Silentnight Stadium, but all momentum has been lost with Airdrie's side having not played since.

They started the season with six wins in their first seven league games to set the pace at the top of the North West Counties Premier Division, but two wins in their last ten in the league has seen Town fall to 11th.

Tomorrow they travel to face fourth-place Runcorn Linnets, having seen successive league games against Abbey Hey, Ashton Athletic, AFC Blackpool and Congleton Town called off because of the weather.

"It's come at a shocking time," Airdrie said of the 25-day gap between fixtures.

"Our league results had just dipped and then we had a real result in the West Riding County Cup, and we've not played since.

"We were full of confidence, the lads were buzzing, and then we've not played in three and a bit weeks."

Airdrie is hoping the demolition of the Locomotives will prove to be a turning point in Barlick's season.

"We started the league campaign flying, we've probably dipped down a little bit, but not played particularly badly, we've had one or two games where we've been under par but as a whole we've done okay," he said.

"It shows we can turn in those kinds of performances, we're capable, we know what the players can do.

"It was pleasing to see us do it against higher opposition but we have to make sure we do it in the league as well.

"It gives you the belief, even with our games in hand we're not a million miles away, but we've got a very tough run of fixtures now.

"It will be interesting to see how we respond to the lay-off."

Saturday's trip to the Linnets is the first of four successive away games, with three against the top six. Another trip to Runcorn to face Town comes next week, followed by trips to Maine Road and AFC Liverpool.

"We've got the two Runcorn teams, the re-arranged Maine Road fixture and then we've got AFC Liverpool. Three of the four teams are right up there," said Airdrie.

"It will be a tough run, especially after the break, but it's a time to look forward too and hopefully we can cause an upset or two.

"If we can get a couple of victories in these next four games it will push us on into that top six where we want to be."

The victory in Yorkshire included a hat-trick for striker Joseph Gaughan. The treble took him to 13 for the season but it was his first goals in six games, and Airdrie is hoping he can kick-on from that now.

"Joe is one our main attacking threats, he has a lot of ability," he said.

"He was scoring a lot early on, he had a dip but he's full of confidence after his hat-trick.

"It would have been nice to have more games to back that up, but hopefully he's saved some and he can kick on again."