GRAVESEND & Northfleet manager Andy Ford believes tonight's Ryman League Premier Division game away to Basingstoke will provide his players with a stern test. Fleet are currently perched 10 places above their opponents in second spot but, despite being high on confidence, Ford insists his side face a difficult 90 minutes.

He said: "At the start of the season, Basingstoke were one of the fancied teams in the division. I think their position of 12th in the table is a false one."

Gravesend will be hoping for a morale boosting victory ahead of this weekend's FA Cup first round away clash with Second Division giants Huddersfield Town - a game Ford is trying to forget about for the time being.

"Tonight's league game is more important than this Saturday's match," he explained. "Against Bedford last weekend, I felt some of the players had their minds on the Huddersfield match but I've warned them, if they do that again they'll lose their place in the side."

Against Basingstoke, Ford will be without Steve McKimm, who has an ankle injury, while top scorer Che Stadhart faces a late fitness test on a shoulder injury.

Gravesend (from): Turner, Burton, Lee, Martin, Lye, Barnett, Duku, Smith, Owen, Jackson, Wilkins, Booth, Hatch, Lee, Blake, Stadhart.