FC UNITED hope to welcome back star striker Stuart Rudd for their first home game of the season in the UniBond First Division North against Garforth Town tonight (7.45pm).

The Reds suffered from a distinct lack of firepower as they lost their opener 2-1 at Lancaster City on Saturday and manager Karl Marginson is keen to get Rudd back into the fray as they seek their first points of the new campaign.

Last season's top scorer Rudd suffered a broken wrist in a domestic accident in July and was expected to miss the first two weeks of the season, but he has returned to his job as a bricklayer ahead of schedule.

Marginson said: "Rudd was a big miss for us on Saturday as we had a number of chances in the box that he would have thrived on.

"We will give him a late fitness test, but indications are he will return, which is obviously a big boost."