Tadcaster Albion manager Paul Marshall admits the opening day fixture with Shaw Lane Aquaforce will be “interesting”
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Paul Marshall admits his Tadcaster Albion side’s opening day fixture with Shaw Lane Aquaforce is one for the neutral.
Two of the contenders for the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title will meet at i2i Sports Stadium in the most anticipated match of the day on Saturday.
Tadcaster narrowly missed out on winning promotion last season after finishing third – the highest league placing in the club’s long history.
Marshall is well aware that a lot of attention is been paid to the fixture, but adds that the game won’t help decide the destination of the title.
“I think everyone will be wanting to come and watch it,” Marshall told Non League Yorkshire.
“There should be a decent crowd which is what we are looking for.
“It will be an interesting game, without a doubt.
“If we win, lose or draw, it’s not the end of the world. I won’t be getting excited if we have won and I won’t be getting too disappointed if we lose.
“There’s no pressure on either side to win because it’s way too early.
“We lost against Brighouse (in August) last year and still ended up with 93 points.
“It’s one of those games where one side could lose and still win the league and that’s how I see it.
“It’s going to be a tough game to start with obviously.
“They’re favourites to win the league apparently, but we’ll have to see.
“We’re a professional club now, running really nicely and we have the momentum from last year.
“It is probably as good a time to play them as any because they’re be bedding in new players.
“We still have the nucleus of last year’s squad, but we’re missing (because of injury) Denny (Ingram) and (Matt Sparkes) Sparksy who were the mainstay for our clean sheets last year.”
Marshall has only added three players to his Tadcaster squad during the summer.
Liam Ormsby has arrived from Albion Sports, while Josh Greening (Pickering Town) and Andy Milne (Scarborough Athletic) have also joined.
Marshall added: “We’re just not looking fully fit.
“I spoke to them last week to say we need to put in a bit of effort this week to sharpen ourselves up.
“Shape-wise we are not quite there, but it will come.
“We’re bedding in Andy Milne, Liam Ormsby and Josh Greening and it’s about us learning about them and them learning about us.”
The referee is Andy Smith from Castleford.