​AFTER back-to-back fixtures against the league’s pacesetters, Belper Ladies make the trip to basement club Liverpool Sefton this weekend.

And Tim Barlow’s side will be hoping to consolidate third place in EHL Conference North ahead of their final game of the season, against East Midlands rivals Beeston the following week.

“Sunday’s game will be just as difficult as the ones we have just played because Liverpool are fighting for their National League lives,” said Barlow.

“They only have two games to go and held us to a point earlier in the season in a bruising encounter.

“They’re a mature side and will do anything for a point.

“We’re expecting another tough game and will have to adjust the way that we play to cope with their sand-based pitch.

“Playing on a water-based pitch, as we do, means the hockey is faster-paced and we do skills such as lifting the ball up with our sticks.

“We won’t be able to do that on a sand-based pitch, which is a lot stickier.”

Barlow will be without Elizabeth Hunt, who has a prior engagement, and Rhiannon Rogers. She will be training with Wales ahead of their Four Nations competition over Easter.

Jo Lane faces a race to be fit after hurting her knee in the 1-1 draw with leaders Durham University.

Barlow said: “We will wait for the physio’s report but she didn’t play the second of our weekend double header against Sutton Coldfield.”

Barlow felt his side were a little unlucky to have played Sutton, who boast GB Olympic medallist Jane Sixsmith and the league’s leading goalscorer, Vicky Woolford, less than 24 hours after their Conference North game against Durham.

“I was pleased with the point against Durham but thought that we could have won the game,” he said.

“It was a pretty even game and, considering they train three or four times a week plus play games in the British Universities League, I thought we did well.

“The Sutton Coldfield game the following day was perhaps a game too far.

“We had Jo Lane and Elizabeth Hunt unavailable and had to play people out of position.

“They have three players who, between them, have scored 46 goals.

“It is also only two years since they came down from the Premier Division and they have retained a lot of those players.

“Still, we have a better defensive record than and I would like to play them will a full side.”