"Because we are in the top five and have been doing well, clubs are coming to look at us and trying to pick up players from us, which is a compliment to us but also frustrating to Darren Attwood and myself plus the committee and the supporters," said Brier.

"We have just lost Kieron Corley and Dave Watson, and I already have a seven day notice in for another talented player but the reason I am not revealing his name is that I feel he may well stick with us.

"Those two lads are a loss to the club and this other player would also be a big loss and that is why I am keeping my fingers crossed he stays.

"However, I have a couple of players on my radar and I hope shortly that will unravel as good news for the club.

"We won't be reading anything into Eccleshill's current plight as they have a new management team and have started to put some good performances together. We beat them in the first game at their place this term after they were relegated from the Premier Division of the Koolsport NCEL, and they will want revenge.

"Lee Malcher still has a game to serve of this three match ban, Joe Townsend is out for three weeks with his lateral ankle ligaments injury from a strain rather than a more worrying sprain, while we also have a worry over Daz Leach who has a groin strain.

"He will be having physio on Thursday night and we will then have a look again on Saturday. We also took skipper Andy Markham off with 20 minutes to go as he was suffering a knee strain and we need to check on his fitness. The pitches are heavy right now and with sliding tackles and twists and turns on them these type of injuries occur.

"Ash Townsend has been very patient and showed in the last 20 minutes at Emley that he is ready, eager and willing to make a start for us. We will also be bringing under-19 midfielder Danny Hull into the squad alongside right winger Ryan Farrell who has the opportunity to fill the departed Watson's boots.

Brier thought his side should have come away with a point from the away day to Emley.

"We certainly did not get the goal our play deserved, particularly in the first 20 minutes of the second half when we could have had two or three.

"I still feel 2-2 would have been a fair result.

"Leach came back in and did well for us and their manager Ian Banks said we are a good side and probably deserved something from it.

"Wayne Crossley, who scored a hat trick against them last season, was targeted from the off and was really taken out minutes into the game.

"There was no Darren Attwood last Saturday as he was taken ill, so he had no need to stand on the opposite side to me with his current touch line ban on."

Town's physio Matt McArdle has had to stand down for the moment owing to his wife being ill, so Town have called in two medical students in their last year of qualifying to assist.