PAUL Carden claims there is no better striker in the Evo-Stik Premier Division on current form than Warrington Town’s Josh Amis.

After enduring a difficult start to his Yellows career having joined in the summer, the new year has seen a turnaround in the big frontman’s fortunes.

Amis has scored eight goals in the seven games since the turn of the year, including two in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Hednesford Town.

That brace took him to 12 overall this season – just one behind leading scorer Tony Gray.

Ahead of Saturday’s promotion showdown against South Shields, Carden praised the 24-year-old for rising to the challenge he set for him.

“On current form, there won’t be many better strikers in the league than Josh,” he said.

“My challenge to him a few games ago was for him to get 10 between now and the end of the season.

“He’s got a few since I said that so I want 10 more from him.

“He’s more than capable because he’s a handful in the box and when someone’s running alongside him, he throws them out of the way.

“Hopefully he can maintain the form he’s showing because if he does, he can be a really big player for us.

“Josh is full of confidence. He’s a great lad to have around the place.

“He’s a great team player. When we played at Witton and we brought him off the bench, he showed the other side of his game in helping us defend our box.

“He showed that again on Saturday when they were loading our box.

“He’s flying at the minute and I’m made up for him.”

Saturday’s opponents lost their 100 per cent home record on Saturday when they surrendered a 3-1 lead to draw with Bamber Bridge.

On-loan Town defender Jay McCarten played for Brig in that game and Carden says he has given plenty of feedback as to the Mariners’ strengths and weaknesses ahead of the trip to Tyneside.

“Anyone can take points off anybody. On any given day, bottom can beat top,” he said.

“It doesn’t surprise me when anybody drops points because that’s football.

“Conditions will play a part and they can sometimes be a leveller.

“They will be looking at it thinking ‘we haven’t played well but we’ve come away with a point.’

“Obviously, we’ve got Jay McCarten at Bamber Bridge on loan. He’s given us some feedback and I went to watch them at Grantham in midweek.

“We know a lot about South Shields already.”