HIGH-flying Hereford United face their toughest assignment of the season this Saturday in a mouth-watering Nationwide Conference top-of-the-table clash with title favourites and arch rivals Yeovil Town at Huish Park.

The Edgar Street outfit will need to show the resilience and determination which has lifted them into a much-desired play-off spot because the Glovers top the league by eight points and are the only club in England's leading five divisions with an unbeaten home record.

United boss Graham Turner has described the showdown as a 'nice challenge' and wants his side to tighten up defensively for the intriguing West Country derby, which pits players on both sides against their former clubs, including Hereford's Ben Smith and Jamie Pitman.

Turner also hopes that Hereford's band of travelling fans will get behind his side with positive vocal support from the terraces.

He said: "It's a nice challenge for us. We have now lost just once in our last 13 league matches, but what concerns me is that we have conceded a few goals recently. We showed tremendous character to salvage a draw against Stevenage last Saturday, particularly after we went 2-1 down so late."

The Glovers have won 11 and drawn four of their 15 Conference home matches this season, despite ground-sharing with Dorchester at the start of the campaign whilst the playing surface at Huish Park was relaid.

Hereford, on the other hand, have the third best away record in the Conference, winning nine and drawing two of their 16 away matches.

Fourth-placed United have twice played Yeovil at home this season, drawing 0-0 in September but losing 2-1 in January's FA Trophy third-round meeting.

Meanwhile, right-back Matt Clarke played for an hour in the Reserves' 3-1 defeat at Cheltenham Town Reserves on Tuesday and should be in contention for a place in the first-team squad for next Saturday's Conference match with Kettering Town at Edgar Street. Aston Villa youngster Michael Husbands netted the Reserves' only goal.