GARY Whild has warned that tonight’s opponents Southport will test their seven-game unbeaten start to the Vanarama Conference.

The Aggborough outfit will be keen to build on Saturday’s 2-1 win over Gateshead but face a tricky game at the Merseyrail Community Stadium.

Looking ahead to the game at Southport, boss Whild stressed his side must continue to learn and work as they have been doing.

Delighted with how they responded to the management’s half-time team-talk against Gateshead – when the game was goalless – he wants them to keep listening to his advice; the most notable being just how tough it will be over the next few days.

Whild said: “That’s the good thing about the set of lads we’ve got at the minute – the togetherness and willingness to take things like that on board.

“That is key because it is always easy to talk at half-time about what you want to do.

“But to go out there and take it on board is good because we did take change things a little bit and the response was great.”

Of the clashes against Martin Foyle’s Southport and, this Saturday, Braintree, the gaffer added: “These two games are totally different tests and the lads are aware of where we are and what it is going to take to get something out of these games.

“Hopefully we can keep on doing what we’ve been doing and get another result; Southport is a difficult place to go and you know that if you come away from there with a win or a result, then it’ll be hard-earned.”

Whild has the luxury of a fully-fit squad to choose from for this game.

Aman Verma overcame a knock suffered last week to feature on the bench against Southport and will once again be available.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, out-on-loan strike duo Reece Hales and Freddie Ladapo netted for Stourbridge and Grays respectively while Josh O’Keefe, at AFC Telford, played the full 90 minutes.

Kick-off at Southport on Tuesday night is at 7.45pm. The Shuttle will have a match report from the game online tonight.