Guiseley, who are due to host North Ferriby United at Nethermoor this evening, are currently 14 points off the pace in 11th spot but they have played seven games fewer than the Nottinghamshire side.

But Kittrick is worried even at this early stage by a potential fixture backlog during the run in and knows where he would rather be.

He said: "Everybody will tell you they would rather have the points in the bag but it is just how things have unfolded and we have got to get on with it and win some football matches.

"I'd rather be where Retford are than where we are but if we can put a run together we will soon be up there. Bradford Park Avenue put three wins together and they are there or thereabouts so we must aim to do that over the next few games.

"We've got Ferriby, Hucknall, FC United and Park Avenue over the next four league games, so there are points to be had.

"We will find out coming out of the Christmas period where we are. They are games we have to take points from if we're serious about winning this league, which we are."

Guiseley haven't played a league game since November 14 when they were humbled 2-1 at Kendal, their run to the first round proper of the FA Carlsberg Trophy and to the quarter-finals of the West Riding County FA
Senior Cup has seen to that.

And Kittrick is keen to beat the elements this evening as his side look to make their mark on the Premier Division.

Kittrick said: "I saw Ferriby the other week and they're quite a tidy side. They're taking points off lots of people and they will want to take points off us.

"They want to be finishing in the top four, but it's about us and how we go about it. We need some momentum going and we need to play to do that.

"My fear is at the back end of the season we'll be playing three games a week. We have got a relatively decent sized squad but every club carries injuries and, ideally, we would want to avoid that.

"I'm just hoping the game gets the go-ahead or else, after this weekend when we have another Trophy game, we will be eight matches behind."

Guiseley have injury doubts over Chris Holland (neck), Lee Tuck (calf), Luke Melcher (neck), Mark Bett (ankle) and Liam Needham this evening.