Former Cardiff City player Curtis McDonald returns to the Merthyr Town squad for their home clash with Southern League promotion rivals Hitchin Town at Penydarren Park on Saturday (3pm).
The Martyrs are third in the Premier Division table and take on the team immediately above them.
Cardiff-born McDonald’s return is a major boost for manager Gavin Williams and his team.
Merthyr and Hitchin are both unbeaten at home, but the Hertfordshire club have lost five games away and won’t relish their trip to South Wales.
Leamington and Hitchin are joint top of the table on points, while Merthyr are six points behind the pair with a game in hand.
The Martyrs have scored more goals (54 against 49) and conceded less (23 against 26) than Hitchin, but the pressure is on for manager Williams and his team are to maintain a challenge for automatic promotion.
Leaders Leamington were held to a 1-1 draw at the New Windmill Ground by fifth-placed Chippenham Town and that allowed Hitchin’s Canaries to pull level on points with a 1-0 win at Top Field against Stratford Town.
Robbie Burns, a 26-year-old former Tranmere and Leicester player, scored a fourth minute goal which proved decisive.
Mark Burke, a former Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town professional, is Hitchin’s manager. He is a long-serving clubman, having made more than 700 first team appearances before becoming manager in 2013.
Former Swansea goalkeeper Ollie Davies looks certain to start after keeping a clean sheet in the 2-0 win at Cirencester Town last weekend.
McDonald will hope to be included in the back four, probably alongside Adam Davies, Jarrad Wright and Scott Hancock.
Goals ace Ian Traylor will be looking for a recall to the starting lime-up, having been rested at Cirencester with Kayne McLaggon, Ryan Prosser and Corey Jenkins given the main attacking roles.
Merthyr have rearranged their postponed home match against Redditch United for Tuesday, January 31 (7.45pm).
The original fixture on bank holiday Monday was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Merthyr Town (probable): O Davies; A Davies, Wright, McDonald, Tancock; Reffell, Evans, Richards; McLaggon, Prosser, Jenkins or Traylor. Subs: Garner (gk), Watkins, Copp, Barrow, Jenkins or Traylor, Williams.