SALISBURY City boss Nick Holmes accepts that his side will be under pressure tomorrow to extend their unbeaten run to a dozen games with a win at home against bottom-of-the-table Droylsden.

The two clubs shared the spoils in a goalless draw when they met on the opening day of the season - both were making their Blue Square Premier debut that sunny August afternoon - Whites arriving as Conference South play-off winners with Droyslden the Conference North champions.

Holmes believes they should have left Manchester with an opening day victory.

The Bloods had played with just ten men for the vast majority of the game after Gareth Morris had been shown a red card following his sixth minute stamp on a City player.

"We know we should have got three points that day - especially against ten men," reflected the Whites manager. "We played with an air of apprehension. Maybe it was opening day nerves, but I guess playing it safe that day in our first game in a new league was only human nature.

"I can understand people expecting us to win. But Droyslden are still a good footballing side. They've just failed to score goals and that's why they find themselves in the situation they're in.

"It was the same feeling when we went to Northwich the other week. People expect you to win those games."

That level of expectation is something City have lived with as they secured successive promotions from the Southern League Premier Division and the Conference South, but Holmes says he had not expected it to be a factor during their first season in the highest division outside the Football League.

"Over the last two seasons there have been plenty of games where we've been expected to win, but that wasn't a feeling we were anticipating at the start of this season. It does put extra pressure on our players to get a result."

City have climbed to seventh in the table and their 11-match unbeaten run has given them an outside chance of being involved in the end of term play-offs.

In stark contrast, Droylsden have won just three times all season - none of their victories coming on their travels.

Salisbury are 4/11 with league sponsors, Blue Square to triumph, while the visitors are 13/2 outsiders.

However, the form book can often go out of the window in top versus bottom clashes at the business end of the season.

With relegation rivals Altrincham, Stafford Rangers, Farsley Celtic and Northwich Victoria all picking up points in the past seven days, Droylsden are staring relegation in the face and against a side fighting for their Blue Square Premier survival, Holmes will insist his charges take nothing for granted.

City are almost at full-strength with only Oli Barnes ruled out of the reckoning for tomorrow's match.

Midfielder Mike Fowler is available for selection after serving a one-match suspension, while Matt Tubbs is well on the mend after his recent hamstring problem, but may not be risked.

That could mean last week's makeshift strike partners Robbie Matthews and Liam Feeney continue up front - both scored in the 2-1 win at Kidderminster Harriers.

City's progress will be severely tested throughout the month of March.

Their next four fixtures see the repeat of their opening quartet of games from which Salisbury picked up a healthy eight points.

Tomorrow's home game, which kicks off at 3pm, is quickly followed by a visit to Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday and a trip to Crawley Town next Saturday.

Farsley Celtic visit the Ray Mac a week later with City then playing three games in five days over a hectic Easter period.