In-form Market Drayton Town will hit the training ground tomorrow with boss Jimmy Mullen targeting a Boxing Day bonanza against Lincoln United.

Drayton won 4-1 on Sutton Coldfield Town’s 3G pitch last weekend and come into their big Christmas game with the chance to move several places up the Evo-Stik League division one south.

But former Burnley and Walsall boss Mullen is determined to keep his players focussed, choosing to bring them in on Christmas Eve to finalise their preparations.

“The lads have done fantastic since I’ve been here and they deserve all the credit because they are the ones who go on the football field and get the results,” said Mullen.

“When I came in we’d played so many more games compared to everyone else so, despite the run we’ve been on, we haven’t been able to climb up the league very much as the others have been playing games when we haven’t.

“But if we can win on Monday then it will all be bunched up right up to mid-table.

“We’ve always said that if we can go on a run and put results together then things can look very different very quickly.”

Mullen is grateful that Drayton have home advantage tomorrow, admitting he is mystified by why the north Shropshire side have been paired with Lincoln for their Boxing Day game.

Lincoln face a round trip of more than 200 miles for the big match, with no motorways to hasten the journey.

“It seems a strange one because it’s a long and difficult journey for them,” said Mullen, whose team have won four and drawn four of their last nine.

“I’m sure there could have been a different solution they could have come up with, but the game is there and we have to get on with it.”

Mullen has the same squad that won at Sutton Coldfield to select from, meaning that experienced director of football Andy Cooke could be set to continue up front.

“It will only be after tomorrow that I really know my side,” added Mullen.

“We’ve got one or two players with niggles from playing on astroturf last week and we just need to check on them.”