Injury hit Liversedge lose ground on leaders after suffering Pickering defeat

Andrew Wood has re-signed for Liversedge from Thackley, one of four new players to join the Clayborners.

Manager Jonathan Rimmington was without nine first team regulars with captain Tom Jackson, Antony Hilton, James Riordan and Max Elliott all ruled out through injury.

Ste Wales and leading goal scorer Vaughan Redford were both suspended, Danny Hull was unavailable through work commitments, while Kevi Taranganza and Harrison Blakey were also unavailable to face Pickering.

Liversedge re-signed striker Andrew Wood from Thackley but he missed the Pickering game and scored twice for his West Yorkshire League side Hartshead last week.

Regan Fish returned to the club from Pontefract Collieries and Gibril Bojang has rejoined from Maltby Main, while a fourth new signing is midfielder Adam Jones, who has signed from Ossett Albion.

Pickering have been solid in defence for much of the season and Saturday was the 10th time they have managed to keep a clean sheet.

Ryan Blott’s 69th minute goal was enough to see the visitors take all three points back to North Yorkshire and Pickering have moved up to sixth place in the table and warmed up for this Saturday’s FA Vase second round tie against Shildon in style.

With Cleethorpes Town recording a 4-0 win away to Harrogate Railway, they are now three points clear at the top.

Thackley lie second, with Sedge in third place, eight points off the pace.

With no midweek game, Rimmington will be hoping his new signings can train well and gel with their teammates ahead of two important games in the space of four days.

Sedge travel to Clipstone on Saturday looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat.

Sedge defeated Clipstone 1-0 on October 22 but suffered a 4-2 extra-time defeat to the Mansfield side four days later in the NCE League Cup.

Sedge then face neighbours Thackley in what should be a cracking derby next Tuesday (November 15).