Bath City boss John Relish is predicting a classic against King's Lynn when the Southern League, Premier Division heavyweights collide at The Walks tomorrow.

Bath City boss John Relish is predicting a classic against King's Lynn when the Southern League, Premier Division heavyweights collide at The Walks tomorrow.

Relish insists his league leaders are in the mood to seriously dent Lynn's title challenge and extend their six-point advantage over Keith Webb's side.

“We are going to King's Lynn to win,” he said. “It's a big one - there's no denying that and I expect a tense affair but if we get a victory it opens up quite a big gap. A King's Lynn win brings us back to the pack and it's game on. There's a long, long way still to go so, no, I won't be sending my team out not to get beat. We won up there last season and I know we can get another result.

“I think it's the type of game that can show off the quality of our division because they'll be two good sides on the park packed with good players.”

The 53-year-old has huge respect for a Lynn outfit pipped to runners-up spot last year by Bath's 2-0 final-day triumph at The Walks.

“We drew at Twerton Park earlier this season when both myself and the players felt they were the best side we've faced,” he said. “I couldn't understand the blip they had. I guess it was a bit of a cup hangover. If I'm honest I was hoping it would continue although I knew it was only a matter of time before they picked up again.

“We've had them watched five or six times - especially in our neck of the woods. The Gloucester boss is a friend of mine and there was the Team Bath game played at our ground recently so we know their strengths and weaknesses.”

Bath travel to Norfolk on the back of an incredible run of seven consecutive league clean sheets.

“It's not far off a club record over the last 30 years or so,” said Relish. “Records are there to be broken and we know it's only a matter of time before we do concede. We only let in 29 goals during the whole of last season so it's a good foundation for us to build on. The back four have been really solid and the keeper is different class.

“It'll be tough at King's Lynn. I think both clubs were probably a bit unlucky to come up short in the play-offs last year and hopefully we can both go one step further. We're arguably the two best supported teams in the league as well so the fans deserve a bit of success.”