LOUIS van Gaal and Wayne Rooney are among the top managers and players complaining that full-time athletes cannot recover in time to play two games in three days – and today's full Evo-Stik League programme is asking the same of semi-pro footballers.

Farsley and Division One North neighbours Brighouse Town face a swift return to action following their New Year's Day exertions.

FARSLEY, who battled back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 4-2 derby win over Harrogate Railway, today travel to relegation-threatened New Mills, who remain second-bottom after a 3-2 defeat at Ossett Albion.

BRIGHOUSE face a much sterner test as they are at second-placed Darlington 1883, who will be keen to bank some points after their New Year's Day game at Kendal Town was abandoned. Town must put their 4-0 defeat at Scarborough Athletic behind them.

It is far from a rapid return to action for THACKLEY as the Toolstation Northern Counties East League outfit have not played since December 2, when they lost a West Riding County Cup quarter-final 4-1 at Conference North side Harrogate Town.

That defeat followed back-to-back Premier Division away defeats and they find themselves back on the road today.

The Dennyboys head to Handsworth Parramore, the ninth-placed side who are immediately above Albion Sports in the table.

ALBION are also on road but face the short journey to Clayborn to take on LIVERSEDGE in a local derby.

Sedge are immediately below 15th-placed Thackley, trailing by just a point, while Albion hold the bragging rights over both of their neighbours. But the derby element should make it a close game at Clayborn.

In Division One, ECCLESHILL UNITED'S new head coach Gerard Jones will be eager to post his first victory. The Eagles have played just once since Jones' appointment and that was at promotion-chasing Pontefract Collieries.

That ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat and Jones will be looking for the three points from their trip to struggling Rossington Main which could propel his side back into the top ten.

SILSDEN are also up against a struggling side as they host St Helens Town in the North West Counties League.

The Cobbydalers would break the 40-point barrier with a win and could climb as high as eighth in the Premier Division table.

St Helens are 14 points worse off and seven places lower than their hosts, having played one game more, although they are not in danger of the drop as the bottom four are cut adrift.