Boss Gary Setchell is desperate for King's Lynn Town not to slide into an area of early-season mid-table obscurity.
The Linnets won their opening three Evo-Stik Premier Division matches but have lost their last two to put something of a dampener on their electric start to the new term. A defeat at Belper Town this evening could see Setchell's side slip to well below 12th in the 24-team standings – despite enjoying a lofty position of second little more than a week ago. So it's no surprise that the man at The Walks' helm is targeting a positive result tonight in Derbyshire.
Lynn's manager said: 'It's a huge game for us. We want to be live as long as possible. I think on our day we can mix it with the best in the league. Off our day we can get beat by the bottom team.
'These are a good set of lads who will work hard. But we've got to be more ruthless in front of goal and we've got to stop giving silly goals away. It's one of those games tonight. We either win it, give everything we've got, and we're back in and around the top five, top six. Or we lose it and we're in mid-table mediocracy and from there you can never be seen again. That's how this league is if you win one, lose one and draw one. But I know we're good enough to go to Belper and get a result if we play the way we can play.'
Town, fifth with nine points from a possible 15, have happy memories of their last visit to Belper. They picked up the Evo-Stik Division One South title there on the final day of the 2012/13 campaign and, having already won the championship, breezed to a 3-0 victory.
The Nailers joined their Norfolk counterparts in the Northern League's top flight by winning last term's play-offs. They've drawn their two home games so far while picking up a point twice and losing once on the road.
'I think I talked it up saying if you win three and lose the next three it's no good,' said Setchell.
'I talked something up at Stamford and I wished I hadn't of done. I'm going to have to stop saying things. We'll go to Belper, we'll work hard and pick a team that's going to be tough to beat, and hopefully we'll get our players on the ball in the crucial areas and hopefully we'll win a football match.
'It's horrible when you lose. I'm gutted we lost on Saturday. I honestly think we can win at Belper and I obviously think we can win on Saturday (at home) against Nantwich. But I'm the manager of the team and I always think we can win.'
Defender Ryan Fryatt suffered a nasty head wound during Saturday's 1-0 home loss to Trafford. Yet it is the dead leg which forced him to leave the field of play which sees him rated as doubtful for the visit to The Marston's Stadium. His place may be taken by Sam Brooks who performed well when he came on at the weekend.
Lynn's boss added: 'I've said to the lads, 'a week's a long time in football'. Last week I was standing here (in front of the press) cock-a-hoop because we'd beaten Stourbridge.
'From then we've had a disappointing game-and-a-half really since the second half against Stamford. I'm hoping it's not a confidence thing because we've got some big characters in the dressing room. But on Saturday Trafford came and did a job on us, so congratulations to them.'
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here