KENDAL Town manager Dave Foster is relishing the prospect of facing some of the division’s leading lights as his side bids to claw back vital points.

In their next five matches the Mintcakes face four teams currently in the promotion picture, starting with this Saturday’s clash against high-flying Darlington 1883 at Parkside Road.

And Foster insists the league table can change very quickly at this stage of the season, but only if Kendal take care of business their end.

“We have 14 games left and some exciting fixtures coming up,” he said. “It’s the old cliché about cup finals but we need to go out and do our best to win every game.

“Draws won’t get us to where we want to be and defeats certainly won’t so we have to do everything we possibly can to put pressure on teams above us.

“Some of those clubs have a backlog of fixtures now so should there be a situation where they slip up, we need to ensure we’re in a position to take advantage.

“We play Darlington, Warrington Town, Bamber Bridge and Farsley in the near future – all currently in the play-offs – and Ramsbottom and Curzon Ashton are on the horizon also.

“These are all six-pointers when we’re trying to catch up and by winning these games we can close the gap, draws aren’t much good.”

Last weekend’s clash with Ossett Town was postponed following a pre-match downpour, making it three weeks since Kendal played competitively by the time the Darlington clash rolls around.

“The lads are all itching to play so to get to Ossett on Saturday only for the weather to turn when we got off the coach was obviously frustrating for everyone,” added Foster.

“It’s just how it is at the moment unfortunately but the lads have been training really well and we just want to get on with it now.

“At any stage when you get a stoppage from not playing games you lose a bit of momentum and it’s like having a mini pre-season if it goes on for too long.”

However, the enforced break has enabled niggling injuries to clear up with Foster reporting a clean bill of health within the Kendal ranks.

And as the season approaches its business end, the former Lancaster City striker also insists he is more than happy with the make-up of his squad.

“We’re pretty settled at the moment and have managed to get the squad down to a tighter group of players which I think benefits everyone,” he said.

“We have got Will Bell for a little bit longer but he will go back to Morecambe after the Warrington game. Hopefully he will do well there.

“We’re near enough at full strength and if everyone can stay fit we have a nice tight group with the balance we need.”