REDHILL manager Mike Maher has promised Merstham that they will not have an easy game when they visit Kiln Brow on New Year's Day, adding the Lobsters have a "few surprises" for their local rivals.
It is a top-versus-bottom encounter when the two sides face off tomorrow (Thursday) in what promises to be a typically feisty encounter, but while on paper it looks a comfortable win for the title-chasing visitors, Lobsters boss Maher has confidence in his team.
"Credit where credit is due – Merstham are absolutely flying at the moment," Maher said. "And let's not beat about the bush, they are second in the league and we are third from bottom, they should be beating us.
"The pressure is entirely on them.
"They have a fantastic squad there but, believe me, we aren't going to make it easy for them and I'm sure we will have a few surprises for them."
The derby will be the first game on Redhill's Kiln Brow pitch since October 21 due to a small waterlogged area in front of the far goal.
It has meant the Lobsters have fallen behind with their fixtures in the Ryman League and Maher admits that any more postponements could begin to cause "serious trouble".
"We are looking forward to having a home game because it's been tough for everyone," he said. "We have done everything we can to sort out the pitch because we want to be playing games.
"We can't have a backlog of fixtures at the end of the season because we haven't got the players or budget to do that.
"If we are in the situation of having that then we are going to be in serious trouble.
"It's getting to the point where I'd happily have us play in a park because we need to get the games played and I don't care where."
