CARL Macauley would not be drawn on whether last Saturday’s hero Kyle Sambor will be in the Witton Albion starting line-up against Scarborough Athletic at Wincham Park.

Substitute forward Sambor scored twice and set up Billy Smart’s last-ditch leveller as Albion fought back to a 3-3 home draw against FC United of Manchester.

The 21-year-old, the North West Counties Division One South player of the month for September before Macauley signed him from Cammell Laird 1907, is certainly knocking on the door after scoring his first two goals for the club in an all-round influential performance off the bench.

“He’s quick, he can play wide left, wide right, and can play straight down the middle,” said Macauley.

“Kyle took his goals well. He’s a young lad who’s learning and he’ll come on leaps and bounds but he’s done himself no harm in trying to get in the starting XI for Saturday.”

Macauley will be hoping his skipper Josh Wardle comes through the week with a clean bill of health after playing through injury against FC United.

“He struggled through the game,” said Macauley.

“He’s the sort of player who wants to stay on the grass and help his teammates out.

“That’s why he’s skipper of the club because he’s a warrior.”

Macauley is only too aware that Scarborough, currently seven places behind Witton on the BetVictor Northern Premier League ladder, will provide another stiff test of his side at Wincham Park on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.

“They’re probably underachieving at this present moment,” said Macauley, whose side’s unbeaten run in the league goes back to the 2-0 loss at Buxton on October 19.

“They’ve got a good squad with a massive amount of experience in higher leagues, so we know it’s going to be a tough game.

“There’s never an easy game in this league because it’s a powerful league.”

Unfortunately 18-year-old Stef Sorensen will not feature for Witton for up to eight weeks.

He was seeing a specialist this week to determine the extent of an ankle injury sustained in the Integro League Cup loss at Newcastle Town last week.

The issue is thought to be with his ligaments rather than a fracture.

“He was doing well at Newcastle and it was a poor challenge from the lad,” said Macauley. Fair play to him, he came up with his mother at the end of the game so apologetic.

“But unfortunately for Stef he’s going to be out for six to eight weeks.

“I’m gutted for him because he’s a young kid who’s come on board with us and trains hard every week.

“We just hope he has a speedy recovery now and gets back to where he was.”