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The former Hinckley and Tamworth defender played a star part in Rovers’ tremendous 1-0 win at GKN Sankey on Saturday.

But Northwood saw red when the defender failed to show up for a mid-week training session.

“Rules are rules and I expect a call from players who can’t attend training,” growled the Moat Ground chief last night. “If a lad’s got work commitments or something like that then fair enough. But I didn’t hear anything from Sales and it could cost him tomorrow. We’ve got Martin Devaney and Jon Laws back in contention tomorrow and that gives us some competition for places. Who will I drop? We’ll have to wait and see.”

Northwood if figuring on a “horses for courses” side for tomorrow’s visit to struggling Tipton Town.

“I know they’re down there towards the bottom but that doesn’t mean we should treat them lightly – there are no easy games in this league any more.”

Last week’s trip to Telford was certainly as tough a task as Gresley are likely to come up against in the Banks’s League but thanks to a mixture of fortitude and good fortune Gresley came away with a tremendous win.

And Northwood was quick to pay tribute to his star performer, keeper Karl Austin, who turned in a first class performance.

“Karl gave us a super show – he did ever so well, especially after taking a knock at the start of the second half,” said Northwood.

“Taking a knock,” is a bit of an understatement. In fact, Austin was crudely and brutally flattened by Sankey striker Martin Swan – who should have been sent off – and required ten minutes treatment before resuming.

The performance that ensued did enough to dispel any doubts that an early season loss of form may have created over Austin’s ability. Quite simply, he remains the best keeper in the league, bar none.