Holbeach United boss Tom Roberts believes Saturday’s table-topping tussle at Newport Pagnell (3pm) will be the acid test to his side’s cracking start to the season.
The Tigers are still unbeaten in the United Counties League Premier Division after winning five and drawing two of their opening seven league games.
Their fine start has moved Holbeach up to third place in the standings, level on points with Saturday’s hosts Pagnell but with two games in hand.
And Roberts admits that Saturday’s showdown at Willen Road will be the toughest league test for his side so far this season.
He said: “It will be a test of our credentials and we’ll see where we stand afterwards.
“If we get a positive result then it will cap a very good start to the season.
“It’s not the end of the world if we lose, but it might be a time to re-evaluate where we are as a team.”
Holbeach go into the clash on the back of a run of matches against sides in the lower reaches of the Premier Division.
They triumphed 5-4 in a Carter’s Park thriller with Huntingdon last Wednesday before sharing the spoils in a 2-2 home draw with Oadby on Saturday.
Pagnell meanwhile went down to a 3-1 away reversal at early pacesetters Peterborough Sports on Saturday.
Roberts added: “It’s just the sort of game we need at the minute.
“We always raise our game against better sides and the players will know what’s expected of them.”
Holbeach will be without the suspended Stacy Cartwright for the match after the defender accumulated five bookings.
In-form frontman Jake Clitheroe is also banned after notching nine goals in as many games.
