DORCHESTER Town manager Steve Thompson feels the Magpies’ fixture against Hereford in the Evo-Stik Southern League today (3pm) will be a “big test”.

The Bulls host Dorchester possessing the best form in the league, having collected 13 points from their past five games, scoring 14 times.

But Dorchester are unbeaten in the league since Thompson’s arrival at the Avenue Stadium.

He said: “We’re going into a game on Saturday against a team that many tell me are the best in the league, even though they’re not top at the moment.

“Many tell me that they’re tipped to win the league, they have a massive support and it will be a big test but a good game to have because I’ll see a lot in that game.

And Thompson revealed he has had to be “careful” to ensure his players are in a fresh condition.

He said: “I believe in that type of game and it takes a lot out of the players.

“I have to be very careful in training with what I do.

“I’ve said to them for those players that have slogged around on quite a heavy pitch on Monday I’ve got to be very careful because I don’t want them to have nothing in the tank or not enough in the tank on Saturday.

“That’s where my experience in fitness and coaching comes in and it’s important that they go out on Saturday with as much in their legs as they can, the eleven that take the field and the five that are on the bench.”

Thompson is also wary of having Monday night games, a decision taken by previous manager Craig Laird, with Magpies set to face Gosport Borough 48 hours after travelling to the Bulls.

“Not many teams choose Monday as a midweek fixture. Obviously it’s the same for the other team as well. It can be dangerous in one way in that if you’re regularly playing on a Monday and Saturday you probably are prone through fatigue to more injuries.

“So that’s a concern but obviously that’s decided at the start of the season and I think you have to stick with it and you give that in to the league.

“I see the thinking behind that but it does mean that you’ve got to be very careful in what you do,” he said.

Luke Winsper is expected to come back into the Magpies’ fold after playing no part in Monday’s 2-1 loss to Salisbury.