Kimberley aim to make top spot their own on the road

Graham Furnell knows his side face two tough trips on the road.

They remain second on goal difference to leaders Hinckley, but their rivals lost to Belper United on Tuesday night meaning the Miners now have a game in hand and the title in their own hands.

And while joint-boss Graham Furnell is reluctant to discuss those chances just yet, he knows his side have to be ready for tough challenges at Barrow on Saturday and then Birstall United next Tuesday night.

He said: "We drew 1-1 at home to Barrow earlier in the season and having watched them recently beat Hucknall at Watnall Road we know we will have our hands full.

"They have real pace out wide and look like a team that has been well drilled on the training field. They have a good blend of youth and experience and are a very fit side.

“We go there knowing we have to be at our best to come away with the points and can't afford another slow start.

“Birstall were the first team to beat us at home this season 2-1 and that scoreline probably flattered us.

“They are a side with a strong spine full of experience and have a good variety to their play and are capable of playing through the thirds or being direct.

“We will assess our squad Thursday at training & hopefully have everyone available to travel for two very tough games but they’re games we are confident of doing well in if we remain focused on the team in front of us and not look further ahead.”

Last Saturday, Kimberley twice fell behind at home to Saffron Dynamo before recovering to win 5-2, Aaron Coyle and Sacha Markelic scoring twice each and Luis Rose once.

Furnell added: “Despite a good week’s training and full squad to choose from we couldn’t have started the game in a worse fashion, going behind five minutes in and then, after equalising, falling behind again on 25 minutes.

"But as we've shown all season we have a good group and even when under the cosh we have the fire power to create chances and after Saffron had a player sent off at 3-2 we scored two in the last ten minutes to secure the win”