MILDENHALL Town enter today’s Thurlow Nunn League derby at home to Ely City aiming to avoid a sense of d�j� vu.

The Premier Division leaders have won eight and lost three of their last 11 league games – and two of those defeats have been at home in their last three games.

Mildenhall have lost 3-0 at home to fellow title challengers Wisbech Town and Walsham-le-Willows, and will be bidding to avoid a hat-trick today.

They face an Ely side who have won six out of their last seven league games – their only loss being 2-0 at Walsham-le-Willows – and simultaneously advanced to the last 32 of the FA Vase.

Manager Christian Appleford said: “We seem to be playing all the form sides in the league at the moment, but these are the games you want to play in and teams you want to pit your wits against.

“If you want to be at the top of the table, you have to beat the form sides. We did beat Ely (1-0 in the Red Insure Cup) a few weeks ago, so we know we are more than capable of getting a result against them.”

Appleford said he was not unduly concerned at the successive home defeats.

“We have said it is not about just one or two results – it is about the bigger picture.

“We have surpassed the points total we were looking for to be there or thereabouts at Christmas.

“But we will need more effort and application from the players against Ely.

“You can accept poor performances, but against Walsham there was a complete lack of desire and will to win the game.

“We have said you need to put the effort in first and the performances should follow.”

Appleford, who has a couple of seven-day approaches in for players, said he had a full squad except for Alex Steed, who is away ski-ing. Right-back Dave Cooper returns after serving a one-match ban.