Gloucester City head down to Hampshire for the second time this week as they play lowly Winchester City looking to keep themselves at the top of the Southern Premier League South table.
The Tigers are on a run of eight unbeaten games in a row after their tantalising top-of-the-table encounter against AFC Totton on Saturday, ending 1-1.
Having picked up another point to the tally against the hotly tipped Stags, Gloucester boss Mike Cook hopes that they can use the result as a springboard to get the full three on Tuesday night.
“I think it gives you a bit of confidence. You know what the standard is at the top of the league. Having also played Merthyr and we won that game, to get a draw as well against Totton gives you a lot of confidence going into a game like Winchester.”
The Citizens moved out of the bottom four in the table after defeating Walton and Hersham on Saturday, which was only their second in 12 matches, having finished mid-table the season prior.
Their form of just one defeat in their last four games helped them move up to 18th in the table, and despite the 17 places difference in the table, the South Coast-based side have only scored three fewer goals than the table toppers.
Cook, who turned 56 last Friday, knows that his side can not fall foul to complacency as they battle for a return to the regional National Leagues.
“By all accounts, they are not the worst team in the world, so we’ve got to definitely respect them like we’ve got to do with all the teams in that league.
“We’ve basically got to make sure that we turn up like we did on Saturday, and then the game will look after itself.
“If we don’t, we will know that we can be a bit off it at times and be a bit inconsistent, and that’s the thing. Being top of the league, you’ve got to be consistent to stay up there, so let’s hope that’s what we are going to do.”
City have fallen foul to injuries so far this season, with no less than four first-term members out for an extended absence, and their woes were not helped after Jadyn Crosbie, playing his only third game after joining from Torquay on loan, was forced off with a hamstring injury.
Brandon Smalley, his replacement, made an impact after bagging the opener for the Tigers on Saturday, but it was a further blow to the side who could only name four substitutes before the game.
In addition to this, Daniel Leadbitter was sent off with just minutes to spare after being dismissed for a second bookable offence, just as other right-back option Dan Ball finished his three-match suspension that he picked up in the FA Trophy against Wimborne Town.
With a gruelling schedule of five games in 14 days, including an FA Trophy fixture against Coleshill Town on the following Saturday, the former Swindon Town women’s manager could not rule out rotation being needed.
“Possibly,” Cook admitted. “Because we’ve got a couple of injuries in there as well, and the sending off too. We don’t think Leads (Daniel Leadbitter) is going to be banned until next Saturday, so if that is next Saturday, he will be able to play on Tuesday.
“We’ve got Bally (Dan Ball) coming back in, and Recks (Jamie Reckord) coming back in.
“We’ve got a couple more bodies available, but they might have to come straight back in and play straight away, which is not ideal, but that’s where we are at the moment.”
A perfect 100% home record at TigerTurf Stadium has been offset by a more mixed two wins out of six away from Gloucestershire, and Cook knows that no less than a win will be needed as they look to keep the chasing pack of AFC Totton and Merthyr behind.
Having gone past the quarter stage of the season, a win and a statement performance will be the main requirement to send a message that City are here to stay until May.
