ADAM Flint has called on his Witham Town team to "burst the bubble" of the newly-crowd Ryman League division north champions when they visit tonight.

Having been crowned champions last weekend, Brightlingsea Regent visit the Village Glass Stadium for a mouth-watering Good Friday fixture (kick-off 7.45pm) against Flint's side.

The Witham boss knows it will be a tough test against a side who have won 14 times on their travels this year, but with a big crowd expected under the Witham floodlights, he wants his players to put on a display that will deflate Regent's euphoria.

Flint said: "It will be a big test against Brightlingsea and we're expecting there to be a big crowd for it.

"Brightlingsea are going to want to put on a show, but I don't think anything has really changed for us by the fact that they are already champions.

"Maybe the pressure will be off them, but that could go either way - they could be more relaxed and play better or they could relax and take their eye off it.

"We just have to take care of ourselves.

"It will be tough as they deserve to go up as champions - they have the league's top scorer and they have the best away record, but we can say to our boys that this is the standard that they have to get to.

"When I spoke to the boys a couple of weeks ago and said they could be coming to us needing to win to win the league, the players were very clear that they didn't want them doing that.

"That's obviously changed, but we will be looking to burst the bubble for them.

"There is also our record of not having been beaten by anyone home and away this year.

"Brightlingsea are the only side who can take that record from us so we will want to ensure they don't do it as we set that out as a goal this season.

"The players have to keep going as they need to show us that they want to be here next year."

Flint said he hoped to have defenders Damien Green and Alex Anderson back for the visit of Brightlingsea after the duo missed last weekend's trip to Thurrock with hip and hamstring problems respectively, while there could also be a return for Luke Mallett after he was unavailable at Thurrock.

Witham's trip to Ship Lane ended in a 2-0 defeat, but Flint, who was unable to be at the game as assistant boss James Robinson took charge, said there were chances for the visitors.

"We had some players out, which wasn't ideal and it was a bit mix and match in the end," said Flint.

"Damien Green and Alex Anderson both failed late fitness tests and we then had Luke Mallett unavailable late on, so we had to make changes.

"John Watson was in at right back and Lewis Payne at centre-half.

"James (Robinson) said to me that we did alright in the first half, though.

"Reece Paine had to make a couple of good saves, but we had one cleared off the line and I think had that gone in then it would have changed the game as the pressure would have been on them.

"But they changed things around at half-time and got a well-worked goal before the second one came late on."

Following on from Friday night's home game against Brightlingsea, Witham will play their penultimate game of the season at Brentwood Town on Easter Monday.

Their Bank Holiday hosts are battling to avoid relegation at the foot of the table, but Flint said he may look to make alterations for the game.

He said: "Brentwood are fighting for their lives but we will probably change it around a bit and try to mix it up to try out a few things."