They take on FA Carlsberg Trophy holders Ebbsfleet United at Nene Park tonight in the first home game of the Blue Square Premier campaign.

After the opening-day win at Eastbourne Borough, this is another opportunity for Diamonds to kick-start what Hill hopes will quickly turn into a challenge for promotion back into the Football League.

He said: "We had great travelling support on the south coast over the weekend.

"Now it's a case of needing our fans to come out in numbers again to get behind the team because they can play a big part.

"We have fetched more quality into the squad this summer. There are a lot of positives here after the last three or four years when different things have been going on at the club.

"Our home form wasn't good enough last season. That is always important for any club.

"It's going to be a tough game tonight against Ebbsfleet who won the FA Trophy and were very much up there in the mix for the play-offs until the final two or three weeks.

"They won here 1-0 last season as well. But we will certainly take
confidence from Saturday's result going into the first home game."

Hill is likely to name an unchanged squad with striker Michael
Rankine still struggling to recover from a leg injury suffered in the final pre-season friendly.

The Diamonds boss addded: "He's getting better and we will see how he is before tonight's game.

"But he's not 100 per cent and we've got to be careful because it's a long season."

Diamonds are also continuing the search for another forward following Daryl Clare's injury.

Hill said: "I've been talking to clubs who are a little bit reluctant at the present time to loan players out with two games per week for the first month.

"There are a lot of phone calls going around. We're looking to do something after a bit of good business with the Jon Challinor transfer to Cambridge United."


Full preview in today's Evening Telegraph.