NCEL Division One leaders Dearne and District are due to visit Athersley Rec from 3pm on Saturday in a Barnsley derby.
Dearne are four points clear at the top of the league with 34 from 15 games so far. Rec are 18th and winless in seven but have secured two creditable away draws this week.
Athersley manager Rob Landon said: “It will be the toughest test of the season for us. Dearne are the best side in the league in my opinion, and I’ve watched them quite a lot.
“But I think we can compete with anyone on our day.
“As long as we work hard like we have done in our games this week, I’ll be proud of the lads.
“It’s Barnsley v Barnsley and hopefully a few turn up to watch.
“We have a young side so a crowd supporting us really helps them.”
Dearne manager Zeph Thomas said: “Athersley will be tough.
“They had really good results this week and they are a good young team.
“The way the manager sets them up, they will cause any team problems.
“It’s a competitive league and anybody can beat anybody.
“The lads are definitely treating it like a big derby.
“There is a lot riding on it with the fans and players who know each other.
“We’ve got to earn the right to play. We have to outrun and outfight them first and foremost.”
Dearne have recovered well from losing last year’s play-off final to Wombwell Town.
Thomas said: “If you said we’d be in this position at the start, I would have snapped your hand off.
“It’s early doors but it’s nice to be top and hopefully we stay there as long as possible.
“Teams below us have a few games in hand but they have to win them.
“Hopefully we keep winning and the others lose a few.”
Athersley ended a five-game losing run with a 1-1 draw at second-placed Harrogate Railway on Saturday.
They then drew 1-1 at Louth Town on Tuesday, with James Byford scoring a last-gasp penalty.
They are now two places and three points clear of the relegation zone.
Landon said: “We lost five in a row and confidence looked low but we’ve been a lot better this week.
“Staying up is the priority. We’re miles behind everyone else in terms of budgets and it’s the youngest side Rec has had for a long time.
“At Harrogate, we had five 18-year-olds, two 17-year-olds and a 19-year-old making his debut in goal.
“But we went to second in the league, had two goals disallowed, took the lead and drew late on. It was a great effort by the lads.
“Louth was probably the best we’ve played all season. We just missed some big chances but we deserved to equalise. It’s a two and a quarter hour trip, so some people couldn’t make it due to work.”
