Two clubs chasing promotion to the Bostik Premier this season go head-to-head at Coles Park this weekend

Haringey Borough manager Tom Loizou has told his team what to expect from Saturday’s Bostik North showdown with current leaders Dereham Town.

The Magpies make the lengthy trip to Coles Park in great form having won their last four games to go top of the division.

Loizou watched Dereham claim a 1-0 win at Hornchurch last month (October 24) and in the process take the Urchins unbeaten tag.

It means Haringey are the only side yet to taste defeat in the Bostik North this season, but their manager has warned them to step it up again.

Borough needed a replay to cause an FA Trophy upset on Monday night by beating Harrow Borough 1-0, but they should have finished the job on Saturday after leading 1-0 in the 89th minute.

“I watched Dereham away at Hornchurch and Hornchurch are one of the favourites for the league and they tried to bully Dereham, but it never worked,” said Loizou.

“Dereham are a young side and they kept passing and their team ethics and workmanship off the ball won them that game. They are going to work just as hard against us because they are top and they want to stay there.

“Sometimes I question us as a team and I ask do we want to get promoted this season? It seems like we can self-destruct at any time and Saturday we should have seen the game out, but we didn’t.”

Haringey nearly lost their unbeaten record in the Bostik North on October 25 when they found themselves 3-1 down at Grays Athletic despite Ralston Gabriel’s 49th-minute effort.

But two more goals from their in-form hitman, which completed his hat-trick, saw them claim a 3-3 draw and a point.

Gabriel scored again at the weekend away to Bostik Premier outfit Harrow, but Loizou’s side conceded a penalty in the 90th minute, which saw a replay for Monday night needed.

Fortunately for the hosts, they managed to make it through following a 1-0 win at Coles Park with Michael Ademiluyi scoring.

Haringey will now look to down Dereham, but Loizou said: “We are the only team unbeaten in the Bostik North, but only just because we were 3-1 down at Grays with five minutes to go.

“We managed to bring that back, but is that tag helping us or is it hindering us because everyone wants to take it away. It swings in roundabouts.”