The Academy will hope to put two difficult weeks behind them when they travel to Leconfield to face AFC Tickton in ER County League Division 6 (2pm).

Back-to-back games against the division’s top two resulted in successive heavy defeats and although there was no despondency in the camp, the locals will see tomorrow as a chance to get points on the board.

That said the game looks a difficult one. The home side currently sit two places and 4pts better off and have had some decent results so far. Three wins in the league have come against Athletico Hull (6-5), Hornsea Town Thirds (0-5) and, last week, Club De Albion (4-3). They have also taken a point from a meeting with second-placed Aldbrough Colts (1-1) although their meeting at home to early pacesetters, Elloughton Blackburn didn’t go quite so well, resulting in a 0-4 reverse.

Their only other defeat came in the East Riding Qualifying Cup, a narrow 2-1 loss at Division 5 side Eastrington Sports.

Still, whilst every game in this division promises to be a real test for a team still finding its feet in open-age football, management duo Rich Snaith and Sam Outing have been pleasantly surprised by their team’s progress – despite the setbacks of the past fortnight.

Both men were of the opinion that neither the 8-2 loss at Elloughton or last week’s 1-7 defeat by Club Bransholme truly reflected the competitive nature of large parts of the contests. That possibly being so The EzPats have to now prove this on the pitch.

Marc Mead’s groin injury that forced him before the break off last week sidelines him tomorrow and there’s a return in goal for Steve Sawden who replaces the absent Dan Clarke.

Also absent are skipper Callum Dean, Dan Lorimer and new signing Nick Brownlee. Tom Richardson’s switch from the Reserves squad should add a bit of beef to the Academy attack, whilst youngster Sam Wardill is recalled to cover Sawden’s move back between the sticks. Carter Tansey gets a late call-up as does ‘veteran’ midfielder Ricky Biglin.

Ross Derbyshire captains the side with the Reserves assistant-boss looking to build-on last week’s first 50 minutes football of the season.

The referee at Miles Lane is Georg Dalla Sega.

Squad: Steve Sawden (GK), Ricky Biglin, Foxx Blyth, Ross Derbyshire, Billy Frith, Connor Gallagher, Zach Hunt, Sam Outing, Tom Richardson, Connor Sims, Aidan Snaith, Carter Tansey, Steve Ward, Sam Wardill