Stockport County boss Ian Bogie insists his players should be ready and willing to deliver another top-class performance when hosting Dartford.
Results this week saw County drop into the relegation zone once again and the former Gateshead boss knows keeping momentum is vital at this stage of the season.
Bogie highlighted the importance of the weekend’s clash and the need to continue the form that he has witnessed since taking the job several weeks ago.
“We’ve got a massive game coming up against Dartford,” he told Pure Radio. “We should be chomping at the bit and ready to go full throttle to win the game.
“We’re on the front foot. The performance levels have been high and when we’ve got our noses in front we’ve played with a little more swagger and freedom.
“I hope the support can provide the 12th man in the big game against Dartford.”
With the Hatters currently residing in the bottom four, Bogie knows climbing the table would act as a vital morale boost with only three games left in the campaign.
“Psychologically to get out of the bottom four is important,” he explained. “It’s very tight, it pulls one or two teams into it and it might go right down to the wire.”
“We need to just get over the finishing line this season.”
Hatters’ midfielder Matty Mainwaring was in jubilant mood after victory against Alfreton and expects his team to produce a similar performance at Edgeley Park this weekend.
“We should be winning next week and then going to Gateshead and getting what we can,” he said. “We’ve got to steam roll Dartford.”
The 23-year-old praised new boss Bogie but said the players now need to do their bit if they are to avoid the drop.
“He’s full of enthusiasm,” said Mainwaring. “But the lads are professional and we all need to do out bit.”
Scott McNiven’s Hyde will know that a point from their visit to Nuneaton Town will all but secure their Blue Square Bet Premier status for a second season.
Altrincham welcome Bishop’s Stortford to Moss Lane on Saturday aiming to consolidate a play-off place in the Blue Square Bet North.
The Robins dropped to fifth in midweek, and took a hard-fought point from second-placed Guiseley’s Nethermoor Park on Thursday courtesy of Jake Moult’s strike.
Ryan Brooke missed Alty’s eighth penalty of the season late on, while Duncan Watmore and Simon Richman left the field with injury and Nicky Clee missed the game with tonsillitis.
Elsewhere, Droylsden travel to play-off chasing Bradford Park Avenue and Stalybridge Celtic host Gloucester City at Bower Fold.
The best of the rest – Evo-Stik Premier and Division One North
FC United of Manchester will look to tighten their grip on a play-off place when they head to basement-club Eastwood Town.
Ashton United – who still have faint play-off ambitions of their own – host lowly Stocksbridge Park Steels.
The race for the play-offs in Division One North is hotting up with five Greater Manchester sides competing for four spaces.
Second-placed New Mills head to Cammell Laird while Mossley and Trafford are also on the road as they come up against Burscough and Goole respectively.
Ramsbottom United host Lancaster City while Radcliffe Borough entertain Curzon Ashton and Andy Heald’s Salford City head to bottom of the table Garforth Town.
Picture courtesy of Ricard 16, via Wikicommons, with thanks
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