Lowestoft Town joint manager Micky Chapman is demanding a fast start from the Blues in their top versus bottom clash at Crown Meadow this evening. With Lowestoft flying high at the top of Rymans League Division One North after one defeat all season, and opponents Harlow struggling at the foot of the table with just three wins to their name, tonight's fixture (7.

Lowestoft Town joint manager Micky Chapman is demanding a fast start from the Blues in their top versus bottom clash at Crown Meadow this evening.

With Lowestoft flying high at the top of Rymans League Division One North after one defeat all season, and opponents Harlow struggling at the foot of the table with just three wins to their name, tonight's fixture (7.45pm) looks like a home banker.

But Chapman is well aware that his side have struggled early on in each of their previous four fixtures before going on to claim the points - and wants a 90-minute performance against the league's whipping boys.

"In recent games we have been starting on the back foot and conceding the first goal and I don't what that to happen again," he said. "We've ended up winning the games but we are not making life easy for ourselves and we have got to be switched on from the very first minute. The lads have done superbly this season, don't get me wrong, but there is no way we can afford to take Harlow, or any other team come to that, lightly. This is a tough league and any team can beat anyone else on a given day."

The Blues, who are nine points clear at the top of the table with three games in hand on nearest rivals Thamesmead, will be without midfielder Scott Mitchell, who damaged ankle ligaments in Saturday's 6-1 win over Romford. With Lowestoft facing the prospect of two games a week for the foreseeable future the management team are likely to make more than one change to the starting line-up.