Seb Hayes will have to end a personal hoodoo if Holbeach United are to keep their ChromaSport UCL Premier Division title bid on track this weekend.
The Tigers boss has never won at Desborough as a first team manager in his three visits, which includes a 4-0 humbling with his current side last season.
Hayes, who also lost at the Waterworks Field with Huntingdon Town and Peterborough Northern Star, is hoping that the siege mentality now in play at Holbeach will see the unwanted record shattered on Saturday (3pm).
And, having returned from his stadium ban, the Tigers chief feels that his presence in the dressing room has given the players a boost.
“Desborough away is a real bogey fixture for me,” admitted the Tigers chief. “I’ve never won there as a first team manager – and this will be my fourth visit.
“I’ve won there as a player, an assistant and a number two – but, as a manager, I just can’t buy a result there.
“I’m hoping that this Saturday will see a change in my fortunes, as it’s a really big game for us.
“I’ve seen great improvements in the players recently. Will Bird is training very well, Mitch Griffiths looks really sharp again and Joe Braithwaite is back to his best. That’s just to name three.
“Me being back in the dressing room is important. They (the players) laugh at me when I sound off about things to them or in the press.
“But I’ve told them that it’s me against them for the rest of the season.
“I’ve given them facts and stats about recent games and told them that I don’t think they’ll win the league.
“They’ve told me otherwise and I just want them to prove me wrong. It’s a bit of a siege mentality for them and that’s what I want to see.
“I want to them to go and do their talking on the pitch. If they can win the league, nobody will be happier to eat humble pie than me.
“I’m still on target for our aim of a cup win and a top five finish, but this team believes that it is capable of more.”
Fifth-placed Holbeach, who sit nine points behind leaders Yaxley with three games in hand after Wednesday night’s 1-0 home loss to Cogenhoe United, are without the injured Charley Sanders for their trip to Desborough.
He’s struggling with a hamstring problem, with Hayes hoping he’ll be back for the Easter weekend.
Hosts Desborough are 18th in the current UCL form table with just two wins from their last six.
They are eighth in the table, but have lost seven of their 15 home games so far.
