GRAHAM Kemp has warned his players not to let the lure of next weekend’s clash with Bristol Rovers affect their performances in the two big league games between now and then.

The Magpies welcome Rovers to the Avenue in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup but before that they have Southern Premier Division fixtures against Hitchin and Burnham to deal with.

Dorchester boss Kemp has the luxury of a fully fit squad to choose from for the visit of Hitchin tomorrow (3pm), and there is no mistaking where he feels his team’s priorities lie.

“After the Weymouth game in the week I sat everyone down and said that the Bristol Rovers match was in the distance and I don’t want us to start thinking about that until after Burnham on Tuesday,” he said.

“Everyone has got a chance to play against Bristol Rovers but only if they play well before that.

“If we lose the next two league games and don’t play well I could give the young lads a go and let them enjoy it.”

On tomorrow’s contest, he added: “I would say the squad is the strongest it has been all season and I do feel we’ve got 16 or 17 players that could potentially start every week.

“I’m happy to stick my neck on the block and say that because we’re at full strength for the first time this season we can be properly judged at the end of the game.

“I think we’ll know exactly where we are at quarter to five when hopefully we’ll have got a result.”

The likes of Jake Smeeton, Nick Crittenden, Andy Robinson and Chris Dillon, who missed the defeat to Weymouth on Tuesday, will return to the squad tomorrow.

And with a clean bill of health for the first time this season, Kemp’s only problem regarding selection will be centred around who to leave out.

He said: “Previously I’ve been scratching round a bit but now I’ve got to leave people out.

“It’s a good problem to have but horrible at the same time.

“Regardless of what team you manage, lads want to play, but you can only pick 11 at the end of the day.

“Players who don’t get a start have to deal with the situation and realise that if they do come on they have the chance to make a difference.”

Mark Burke’s Hitchin side, 10th in the table, have lost their last four in all competitions, including two in the league against St Neots and Hungerford.

Magpies (from): Walker-Harris, Critchell, Murray, Kaye, Smeeton, Dillon, Oldring, N Walker, Brookes, Davis, Lanahan, Gleeson, Crittenden, Smith, Hubbard, Joyce, Odam, Rolls, Robinson, Godfrey