Blue Square North club Alfreton Town will be looking to continue their excellent home form as they face two very different challenges over the next week.
This Saturday, Nicky Law’s side entertain Gloucester City at the Impact Arena and next Tuesday, play-off rivals Droylsden are in Town.
The Reds saw Tuesday night’s scheduled big test at second-placed Southport fall victim to a frozen Haig Avenue pitch.
That fixture has now been rearranged for Tuesday, April 20th which will mean an even busier run in to the end of the season.
Despite having he Reds had extended their unbeaten league run to ten games with a 1-1 draw at Stafford Rangers last Saturday.
And Law’s side have lost just once in their last nine home games as they turn up the heat on their rivals.
Law said: “Tuesday was disappointing, because with the run we are on, we were keen to get there and show what we could do.
“But we now have to refocus and make sure we take our form into Saturday’s game.
“When you are in the position we are in, there are no easy games. We are trying to push on and get as many points as we can to keep ourselves in the play-off places but there are no easy games at this stage of the season.
“We are confident that if we go into the game Saturday with the attitude and desire we have had in the last ten games then we will be ok.”
Law strengthened his squad last week by signing former Burton Albion and Gaionsborough Trinity midfield player Chris Hall.
Hall, 26, began his career with Lincoln United in 2003 band had trials with Leicester City before being signed by Nigel Clough for the Brewers in May 2004.
He had a three year stay at the Pirelli Stadium where he made well over 100 appearances including both of the historic FA Cup games against Manchester United in the 2005/06 season.
Following a knee injury in October 2006, he was surprisingly released and moved to Gainsborough in June 2007, also having a month’s loan spell with York City in March 2008.
Hall is a quick and skilful left-sided midfield player who can also operate centrally. He has also played in an advanced attacking role, and Law is predicting the player will have an impact on Alfreton’s run-in.
He added: “At the end of the day, Chris is a good addition. He now needs to find his feet and find out how we do things.
“We have a dozen games to go and I can see him playing a big part for us in the run-in.”
Law is happy with the size and strength of his squad as the business end of the season fast approaches.
He ended: “A lot of our rivals are still strengthening and signing players but I am quite happy with what we have got squad strength wise.
“We can’t affect what our rivals do and who they sign, it is down to us to keep going.
“We have our objective and aims and as a team, we have to single minded and strive for it.”
The visit of Droylsden next Tuesday will bring another major test but one Law is relishing.
He ended: “It will be another tough game, coming up against, on their day, one of the best footballing teams in the division.
“At the end of the day though I am not too bothered about who we play so long as we are at it like we have been recently.
“We are as good as anybody on our day.”
