Leopards will be looking to maintain their grip on fourth place in EBL Division One when they face local rivals West Herts Warriors at Wodson Park on Saturday, tip-off 7.30pm.

Having won Division Two last season, Warriors have made a good start to life in the top flight, and currently lying seventh in the table with an 8-9 record, and look a certainty for the post-season play-offs.

Coach Jon Burnell is expecting a tough challenge: "It's a big game for us. West Herts are in their first Division One season, and they are doing really well. They are competing with the best teams. They've beaten Manchester and also narrowly lost up there, plus they've caused Worthing some problem. They are a decent team, and since we last played they they've added Lee McCarthy who's improved them. Their Americans will be difficult to contain, and they'll be up for the game. They'll want to make a point, and I'm sure they still think they can finish above us. We need to dust ourselves down and get over the Manchester game."

It will be the third meeting of the season between the two teams, with the Big Cats winning on each occasion. A bad tempered pre-season clash in the Frank Empson Memorial Trophy saw Leopards win 109-106 in overtime, while in November's league clash at the University of Hertfordshire saw 32 points from Calvin Fowler lead Jon Burnell's team to an 81-80 victory.

West Herts will field two former Leopards in their line-up. Matt Eames - the man who lifted the National Cup for the Big Cats - joined Warriors in the close season, while Mark Quashie played for both the original Leopards and for the new club in their first season.