HALSTEAD Town manager Mark McLean says his team will need to be resolute to meet the challenge of a Lopes Tavares side tomorrow who he knows will be "gunning" for them as they look to avenge a big defeat earlier this season.

The Humbugs will travel to the new Thurlow Nunn League division one south leaders on Saturday having been toppled from the top spot themselves last weekend after they were beaten 2-1 by Barkingside.

That defeat came on the heels of a 3-0 loss at Harwich & Parkeston the weekend before as they continued to battle against the effects of a lengthy injury list that has left McLean's resources significantly depleted in the early part of the campaign.

The Humbugs boss did have a few back when his team headed to Cornard United in the first round of the Thurlow Nunn League Cup in midweek and it showed as they got back on track with a thrilling 5-4 win that set up a home game against Little Oakley in the second round on October 15.

McLean is hoping to see some more members of his squad return for the trip to Lopes Tavares, but, having beaten them 5-0 in the first round of the Essex Senior Cup a few weeks ago, he knows his players will have to be ready for a challenging encounter.

“We needed that result (at Cornard) because we have a tough one coming up on Saturday," said McLean.

“Lopes Tavares have won every game they have played this season other than the one where they came to us and we hammered them.

“We were very good and it showed how good we can be when we have a strong squad.

“We will have a stronger one on Saturday, but we know that the previous game will only increase their hunger.

“That’s what it counts for and they’ll be gunning for us - you’d better believe it.

“They are joint top with us, but they have games in hand and they won’t want to lose their winning run in the league.

“So we need to go there and be very resolute and very much up for the battle."

Players who McLean hopes to have back available for the trip to Lopes Tavares include Nick Miller, Garry Burdett, Jack Cherry Jake Brown and Ben Morgan although Ricky Gardner, Charlie Pleace and Tom Cook are likely to be missing still.

After the defeat by Barkingside last weekend, Halstead dropped to third in the division one south table.

It was the Humbugs' third loss from eight games and while McLean is frustrated by that he is more impressed that they have managed to stay in the promotion race despite an injury list that could have crippled their push for the top in the opening part of the season.

McLean added: “In my mind, I’m really upset that we’ve lost three games in eight, but there’s an element in me that I’m quite proud of them and what they’ve done.

“We could have lost a lot more with what we’ve had.

“On availability, we probably should have lost more so there’s an element in me where I feel pride because we’re still in there pitching when we shouldn’t be.

“I don’t know who else could have coped with what we have.

“On Saturday, I could have stood there and watched us get taken apart by Barkingside, but even with what we didn’t have, we could have equalised in the last minute.

“It wasn’t good to watch, but we almost found a way."