RING-rusty Hereford United must come out fighting against Gravesend & Northfleet tomorrow (3pm) to keep their season alive.

Manager Graham Turner admits his side were off the pace against Yeovil Town in their midweek FA Trophy defeat but warns there is no leeway for a repeat at Edgar Street.

The Bulls go into the Nationwide Conference clash on the fringes of a play-off slot and Turner sees three points as vital to stay in touch with the leading pack.

"We need to stay in touch in the next few months to keep our season alive starting with victory tomorrow," he said.

"January and February are important months and we need to be at our best."

Turner has been boosted by the loan signing of right back Jay Lovett from Brentford and he will go straight into the squad with Danny Williams and Steve Guinan out suspended and Matt Clarke injured.

The Edgar Street boss is also hoping to capture a striker in time to fill in for Guinan, although Ben Smith could be the main goal threat for the Bulls with five goals in his last seven games, two of which were in the last two matches.

Hereford came off worst in their first encounter with The Fleet in August when they went down 3-0 but it could have been more, Turner admitted.

"It was probably our poorest performance of the season and we didn't perform very well and were lucky to get away with just a 3-0 defeat," he added.

"But I think we are a bit better now and we need to show that against Gravesend.

"They are a big, strong side who have done well to get into the Conference."

Gravesend are currently struggling in 19th place since promotion from the Ryman League Premier Division and have collected four wins and three draws from their 14 away Conference away matches.

After Tuesday's disappointing FA Trophy exit at the hands of holders Yeovil Town, Turner is looking for an improved attitude from his players who he thought paid the price for two weeks without a game.

"There should be a little bit of a spur after the way we made mistakes against Yeovil," added Turner.

"We didn't do very well and this is a good opportunity to put it right.

"I could see in the first 10 minutes that we were almost ring-rusty because we had not played for two weeks.

"The pace Yeovil played at took us by surprise and we were on the back foot and brain-dead. Once we got it together in the second half we were a lot better."

FORMCAST: Back the Bulls to win 2-0.