Mark Brier insists his Brighouse TOWN side still have everything to play for despite a setback to their Kool Sport Northern Counties East League title ambitions last week.

Town’s home defeat to Pontefract Collieries was not enough to knock them off the top of the Division One table but gave closest rivals Tadcaster Albion and Leeds Carnegie an extra incentive.

Both sides can overtake Brighouse if they win their games in hand, so Town’s short trip to take on third-placed Carnegie at Throstle Nest on Saturday assumes greater importance.

They need a win to stay clear of Tadcaster, who are just a point behind in second place and are next up on Town’s fixture list.

Tadcaster are in the box seat as they have three games in hand – and on top of that they have just signed former Leeds United, Liverpool and Scotland midfielder Gary McAllister.

“This is a massive game for us against Leeds Carnegie and all the bigger after losing to Pontefract Collieries last Saturday,” said Brier.

“We created some good chances but it was all a bit flat. We picked up on that even in the warm-up but we couldn’t turn it around.

“Leeds Carnegie lost as well, which instead of making things more palatable just seemed to rub salt into the wounds.

“We have just three games left, two of them against the clubs closest to us in the table, so there is still all to play for.”

At the other end of the table, second-bottom ECCLESHILL UNITED also face a crunch game as they head to Grimsby Borough, who are immediately above them but are just two points better off having played three games more.

In the Premier Division, Thackley will be looking for a maximum haul from the visit of Hallam that would lift them to third place if Rainworth fail to win at basement outfit Brodsworth Welfare.

Hallam have had a disappointing season but they are the only side in the bottom half of the table with a plus goal difference, so Thackley will be wary of an upset.

Neighbours LIVERSEDGE are also at home and are pushing for a top-eight finish. They are tenth at the moment but a win over third-bottom Lincoln Moorlands Railway and other results going their way could see Sedge climb to eighth.

SILSDEN host relegation-threatened Atherton LR in the Vodkat League Premier Division this weekend at the start of a hectic eight-day period.

The Cobbydalers also have to play on Easter Monday, again on Wednesday and then at runaway leaders Newcastle Town a week on Saturday.