IF the weather relents, Aldershot return from a fortnight's inactivity with a formidable task at league leaders Crawley Town on Saturday.

The big-spending League Two leaders leapfrogged Cheltenham to the top by beating them 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Crawley, with their truculent manager and feisty approach on the pitch, have won few new friends in their first Football League season.

But you cannot argue with their achievements. They gave Manchester United a run for their money in last season's FA Cup, and this campaign, apart from challenging for immediate promotion, they beat Hull City to earn a fifth-round home tie with Premiership side Stoke in the Cup.

The Shots will hope that Steve Evans' side will be distracted by the forthcoming cup-tie on February 19, but there was little sign of that on Tuesday as Cheltenham boss Mark Yates became the latest manager to be thoroughly wound up by the beefy Crawley manager.

For full story, see this week's Herald.