Lowestoft Town joint boss Ady Gallagher believes his players will be a lot better prepared for this afternoon's Vanarama Conference North clash at Hyde.

The Trawlerboys stayed in a hotel last night so the players didn't have to travel on the day of the game and Gallagher has challenged the squad to justify this by bagging their first away win of the season.

And their hopes of enjoying the away trip have been boosted even further by the return of striker Jake Reed who rejoined the club from AFC Sudbury on Thursday night. Reed has signed a contract with the club and linked up with the travelling party just a few months after deciding to depart the Trawlerboys.

'It's the first time we've been able to do it this year (stay overnight),' said Gallagher.

'The lads need to be better prepared – there's no way on earth you can go to a six-hour away game and expect the lads to play well.

'Obviously the onus is now on the players to ensure they arrive at the game in really good shape and deliver for us. If they do that then we've got a great chance and I just think it's going to be a really good game for us.'

Lowestoft have adapted well to life in the Conference following their promotion last season. It was always going to be a very different type of campaign to what the club has grown accustomed to during their rise through the non-league pyramid.

Throughout their time as a Ryman League outfit they were expected to win and win well.

'However, with Lowestoft fighting it out with several former Football League sides expectations have understandably been tempered. As long as they maintain the kind of intensity that has underpinned their promotion campaigns Gallagher believes they will win more than they lose at this level.

'When you're playing against teams that are really strong all the time you can start to question yourself a little,' said Gallagher. 'We've had such a good side that's won a lot of games over the last few years but all of a sudden games are really hard to win, all of the time.

'Once we ride through that period we will more than hold our own. It's going to be a long scrap and if we relax at any stage we will get found out. We've learned that already. We will just keep working hard and see where it takes us.'

Lowestoft's squad has recently been strengthened by the return of Bradley Woods-Garness from a long-term knee injury. The former Canvey Island man was among the substitutes for the Blues' win at home to Bradford Park Avenue.

Dan Gleeson, however, is likely to miss out through an ankle problem.