Charlie Lee has said his Yeovil Town side are ready to take on the challenge of facing National League leaders Stockport County at Huish Park on Saturday.
The Hatters’ defeat at Grimsby Town on Good Friday was the first they have lost in league action since a loss at Torquay United on December 11, but they managed to bounce back with a 1-0 win over Solihull Moors on Easter Monday, thanks to a late goal from ex-Glovers’ striker, Paddy Madden.
Speaking about this weekend’s opponents, Lee said: “They are a Football League team in waiting they are the strongest team in the division, best players, biggest budget and they are on an incredible run.
“It’s going to be a very tough game but we feel like we can give them a tough game and we are confident going in to Saturday.”
In such a rich vein of form, Stockport are strong favourites for the win and will be looking to revenge Yeovil’s 3-0 win at Edgeley Park back in September which was part of the pre-season title favourites’ poor start to the campaign.
Since then they replaced boss Simon Rusk with Hartlepool United’s Dave Challinor and the turnaround has been astonishing.
Lee said: “When you have had good performances and results against a team before, you can always take positives but really we know how strong a team they are.
“We have to be up for the battle and, other than the (2-0 defeat to) Aldershot (on Good Friday) when we felt we let ourselves down, the players have been brilliant.”
Ben Barclay, the central defender on loan from Stockport, will be unavailable against his parent club, but Max Hunt has returned to the squad after more than three months out.
He has been out since the 2-1 defeat at Southend United in mid-January having picked up an ankle injury but has been named on the substitutes’ bench for the two games over Easter.
Lee said: “It is good to have Hunty available. He’s been fully training for the last two weeks and he’s been involved in the last two squads, so he is a natural replacement.
“There are other things we can do and we are looking at for the weekend, but it is good to have Hunty fit and ready to play.”
The caretaker boss was asked about the seemingly never-ending soap opera at Huish Park with the latest chapter being an investigation in to an unnamed member of coaching staff following allegations of using discriminatory language against Aldershot Town players.
It comes on top of endless talks of a possible takeover of the club, the absence of chairman Scott Priestnall, the surprise departure of manager Darren Sarll to rivals Woking – to name but a few.
Lee said: “Everything has an effect, but its a great group of people working in the club. Ever since last year, we have had to deal with a lot and had to deal with it with unbelievable desire.
“They just want to keep improving and that’s what they will keep doing and I will be relying on the experienced boys to help me out.
“There’s no time for excuses when you play for Yeovil and that is the way it will be as long as I am in charge.“