Sileby Rangers boss Glenn Botterill says his side will have no excuses should they fail to see off Northampton rivals Spencer on Saturday.
Sileby suffered a 1-0 defeat to their local rivals on April 1, seeing their title bid taken off track temporarily.
Botterill felt the boggy nature of the Kingsthorpe Mill pitch played a big part in that derby-day defeat.
And after seeing his side return to form recently, winning their past two games with ease, the Sileby supremo expects a better result at Fernie Fields this weekend.
“It’s a massive game on Saturday and a really difficult one,” said Botterill.
“Hopefully the pitch will suit us better this time because it was a real leveller at their place.
“There will be no excuses on Saturday because our pitch will allow us to pass the ball a bit.”
Though he is keen to avoid using the word revenge, Botterill certainly felt Spencer made the most of their win at the Mill.
He explained: “They banged on the dressing room door as they went past after the game. That shows what it means to them.
“We don’t forget these things and hopefully it will be our turn on Saturday.
“There will be a bit of added spice because it’s a derby and some of their lads used to play at Sileby.
“Everyone knows each other and I’m just hoping we can come through.”
Sileby are desperate to secure the win this weekend as their pusuit of the UCL Division One title approaches the final furlong.
It promises to be a thrilling finish, with table-toppers Sileby, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Eynesbury Rovers and Oadby Town separated by just five points.
And Botterill believes the two promotion places could easily be decided by goal difference.
He said: “It’s getting a bit tight up there now. It’s probably the best UCL Division One there’s ever been.
“It’s still all to play for and we need to make sure we win five out of five. If we do that, we’ll go up.
“There will be a few more twists and turns to come and we know it could come down to goal difference.
“But we’re not worrying about that and other teams, we’ve just got to win our games.”
COGENHOE UNITED
Cogenhoe United boss Andy Marks says it’s not massively surprising to see Long Buckby struggling at the wrong end of the UCL Premier Division table.
And he believes the Bucks have a real battle on their hands to beat the drop this season.
Cogenhoe can do their local rivals a favour on Saturday as they travel to the side two places above 16th-placed Buckby in the table, Wellingborough Town.
But Marks is not expecting the Doughboys to be involved in the relegation shake-up as they, like other sides down the bottom, have games in hand on Buckby, who are currently two points clear of the relegation zone.
And the Cooks boss said: “It’s a fight down there. It’s changed a couple of times.
“Kempston are right in it and it’s hard to call.
“Buckby need to pick up a couple of quick wins and I think it will be between Kempston and Buckby.
“I don’t think Buckby are the worst side we’ve played.
“I just think it’s a really even league. Anyone can beat anyone.
“I don’t think it’s masssively surprising to see Buckby down there because he (manager Scott Goodwin) has had to build a new team.
“The bigger surprise for me is Kempston, who I thought would finish mid-table.”
RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS
Mark Starmer insists nothing has changed for AFC Rushden & Diamonds after the race for promotion from Division One swung back in their favour in midweek without them playing.
Oadby Town, who before Tuesday night could have caught Diamonds by winning all of their games in hand, were held to a 1-1 draw by Bugbrooke.
It means that if Starmer’s men can now win all of their remaining five matches then they will be promoted, regardless of what other sides do.
But the Diamonds boss, who takes his team to Kiln Park to face Raunds Town on Saturday, says the equation is still the same even after that boost on Tuesday.
“We knew we had to win every game anyway, now we know that if we do we will be there,” Starmer said.
“So for us, nothing has changed. We have been focused on trying to win every game and that remains the same.
“It is another big game at Raunds on Saturday and it is a ground we know well. I think there is a lot of excitement around the club at what we can achieve.
“But we have to go and do it now. It all comes down to how we perform on the day.
“We know we can do it and now we have to go and prove it.
“We have another massive game against (third-placed) Eynesbury next week but we have to stay focused on the next job and that is Raunds.”
Fixtures
Saturday, April 20
Premier Division: AFC Kempston v Shepshed Dynamo, Desborough v Deeping, Harborough v Blackstones, Huntingdon v Boston Town, Long Buckby v Peterborough Northern Star, Sleaford v Irchester, St Ives v Newport Pagnell, Stewarts & Lloyds v Spalding, Wellingborough Town v Cogenhoe.
Division One: Buckingham v Bourne, Bugbrooke v Harrowby, Burton Park Wanderers v Wootton Blue Cross, Potton v ON Chenecks, Raunds v AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Rothwell Corinthians v Eynesbury, Rushden & Higham v Oadby, Sileby v Northampton Spencer, Whitworth v Thrapston.
Reserve Division One: Blackstones v Whitworth, Cogenhoe v Thrapston, Woodford United v Bugbrooke.
Reserve Division Two: Bourne v Rothwell Corinthians, Oadby v Rushden & Higham, Olney v Irchester, Yaxley v Raunds.
Monday, April 22
Premier Division: Blackstones v Huntingdon.
Division One: Harrowby v Oadby.
Reserve Division One: Bugbrooke v Desborough.
Reserve Division Two: ON Chenecks v Burton Park Wanderers.
Tuesday, April 23
Premier Division: Harborough v Wellingborough Town, Peterborough Northern Star v Quorn, Spalding v Cogenhoe, St Ives v Holbeach, Stewarts & Lloyds v Shepshed Dynamo.
Division One: AFC Rushden & Diamonds v Eynesbury, Spencer v Rushden & Higham, ON Chenecks v Rothwell Corinthians, Sileby v Thrapston.
Reserve Division One: Whitworth v Huntingdon.
Reserve Division Two: Bourne v Eynesbury, Rothwell Corinthians v Rushden & Higham.
Wednesday, April 24
Reserve Knockout Cup, final: AFC Kempston v Yaxley.
Division One: Bugbrooke v Whitworth, Burton Park Wanderers v Oadby.
Reserve Division One: Blackstones v Thrapston, Desborough v Peterborough Northern Star.