STEVE Wilkes, Padiham’s manager, believes his in-form side can join a race for the North West Counties League title if they beat 1874 Northwich later.

The Storks sit sixth in the Premier Division before kick off, 14 points adrift of their hosts at St Luke’s Barton Stadium.

However they arrive in Winsford buoyed by scoring twice in the closing stages of last Saturday’s meeting with promotion-hopefuls Runcorn Town to earn a draw.

“We’re just got to keep going because all the top teams have got to play each other,” Wilkes told the Burnley Express.

“We can close that gap with a win over 1874, and then there’s still 17 games to go for us to affect things.

“We’ve still got a chance to finish up there.”

Padiham have lost only once in the league since the end of September, winning 11 of their 14 games in that time.

They also ran 1874 close during a Macron Cup encounter earlier this term, bowing out after a 3-2 defeat on home soil.