ROSS Thorpe claims tonight’s game with Stafford Rangers will prove to be his side’s toughest test to date this season, and has tipped Neil Kitching’s side for promotion at the end of the campaign.

This will be the first of three fixtures in the space of six weeks, as the two club’s have been drawn together in the Doodson Cup and FA Trophy respectively.

Dale were beaten by 10-man Gresley at the weekend and Thorpe is hoping the table counts for nothing when Rangers arrive at The Beeches in the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League, Division One South at The Beeches (KO 19:45).

“Stafford Rangers are a very good team, they’re unbeaten and favourites for promotion in my opinion,” said the 34-year-old.

“I know Neil Kitching very well, he always has strong, competitive, robust teams that are extremely difficult to beat. They’ve had an exceptional start to the season aside from the FA Cup defeat at Coleshill.

“They have got good players throughout the team and Ben Haseley has made a difference for them since joining from Halesowen in the summer. Neil has evolved the squad well there.”

But the former Alvechurch boss believes Tivi’s players can compete this evening, and has called on his players to showcase their talent and not dwell on recent results, adding: “It’s a tough game, as I say, but we have good players, too.

“I want the players to go out there, give everything they’ve got and have a real go at Stafford tonight. We need to stop worrying about previous results, stop concerning ourselves with what might have been and focus on the games ahead of us.

“This is our biggest test so far this season but we’re playing at home and we need to start picking up points sooner rather than later.”