Relegation-threatened Frickley are short on match practice for the clash against the Hull-based promotion-hopefuls, with their last competitive match coming on Saturday, December 12.

Heath was forced to arranged a friendly match against Pontefract Collieries on Wednesday to give his men some match practice ahead of the weekend UniBond League action.

In contrast, high-flying North Ferriby have beat the weather twice in the same spell, including on Saturday when they beat Matlock Town 2-0.

And the Blues boss is wary that the trip to United will act as one of their toughest tasks of the season.

"It's going to be a tough game, they're a team who like to get the ball down on the surface and play football and they'll be high on confidence," he said.

"They've had some match practice thanks to a few of their games going ahead when ours haven't so they'll be fully ready for the game.

"But we just have to get on with it and give everything that we can.

"We need to be at the top of our game and press them all over the pitch, and if we run out of steam we run out of steam, there's nothing we can do about that with little match practice."

Defender Steve Heath will sit out the game with a one-match suspension.

But Steve Robinson will be in contention for a place in the squad after returning to the Tech5 Stadium from Harrogate Railway Athletic.

See this week's Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express for all the latest sports news from around the area.