AS Warrington Town prepare for Saturday’s trip to Gainsborough Trinity, manager Paul Carden has set in-form striker Josh Amis a challenge.

The front-man is showing his best form since arriving at Cantilever Park in the summer and has netted five times since the turn of the year.

He scored a hat-trick in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Grantham Town to take his overall goals tally for the season to nine in all competitions and Carden wants it to be the start of a productive end to the season for the 24-year-old.

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“If he stays like that, my challenge to him is to go and score another 10 goals before the end of the season,” he said.

“He’s more than capable of it if he can stay fit and stay in the form he showed at the weekend.

“He should score goals at this level. He’s big strong and powerful as well as being technically decent.

“I’m made up for Josh. We brought him in in the summer as a major signing for us – a kind of focal point.

“His determination is there for everybody to see but now he’s backing it up with fitness, stamina and strength.

“He’s lost more weight. He looks ripped and lean now.

“It didn’t happen early on for different reasons that he acknowledges, but he’s really grabbed the bull by the horns.”

Warrington Guardian:

Josh Amis now has nine goals in all competitions this season. Picture by John Hopkins

Yellows are currently second in the Evo-Stik Premier Division – above Farsley Celtic and Nantwich Town on goal difference – as they head to Lincolnshire to face a Trinity side that sit just outside the play-off spots in sixth.

Gainsborough have conceded just 26 goals this season – a record bettered only by Carden’s side – and the Town boss is under no illusions about what will be in store for his side.

“They’ve got a lot of experience. They have a lot of players from Shaw Lane last year and we know how strong they were,” he said.

“It’s not going to be easy. They’ve got an experienced manager who has done well at higher levels.

“They’re mean at the back and don’t concede a lot of goals and they’ve got Damian Reeves and Ross Hannah up front who can score plenty of goals.

“We know it’s going to be another tough game. It’s as simple as that.

“They’re a good group of players but so are we, so it should make for another good game.”

Yellows trail league leaders South Shields by three points with 15 league games remaining.

However, the Mariners have moved ominously into form having compiled a 15-match unbeaten league run.

The pre-season promotion favourites have also won all 13 of their home games so far and Carden admits they are showing just why they are well-fancied for the title.

Warrington Guardian:

Yellows beat South Shields 3-0 at Cantilever Park in September. Picture by John Hopkins

“I’m not too certain on the run of wins they’ve had, but to be honest I don’t overly focus on it because it can change in a couple of weeks,” he said.

“They are on a great run, you can’t deny that. They are ruthless at home and play great football.

“With where they are at the minute, they are favourites because they are in an unbelievable run of form.

“There’s a lot of points to play for and a lot of weather to contend with.

“t’s going to be really interesting and it’s exciting that we’re part of it.

“We’re where we set out to be and if we stay within striking distance, we’ll see what happens.”

Town may have to do without winger Jack Mackreth on Saturday after he came off with a facial injury against Grantham.

Bohan Dixon will also miss the trip and is still several weeks away from a return to action.

Kick-off on Saturday is at 3pm.