City Manager Glenn Pennyfather will have new striker Michael Bakare at his disposal for the first time on Monday evening when his squad aim to extend their unbeaten run to ten games as they entertain Eastleigh at Melbourne Stadium in the Blue Square Bet South, kick-off 7:45pm.

Bakare signed for the Clarets last week from Bishop’s Stortford, where he’s netted eleven goals in 14 games so far this season. He was unavailable for Saturday’s late 1-0 victory at Salisbury City but the Chelmsford boss is pleased to have extra firepower available to him for what he rates as another difficult test.

“Once again we’re up against full time opposition and it’ll be tough as always,” he said of Eastleigh, who currently occupy 17th place. “It was a big ask for us to come through Saturday but we did it and now we have to go again. It’s been a long time since we’ve had the chance to play at home in the league and we’re desperate to get back to Melbourne again and make our home results mirror our away form.”

The Spitfires, managed by Ian Baird, have struggled to make the desired impact on the division that they did last season but a huge overhaul of individuals between seasons has been a large factor after they changed the structure of the playing staff. They recorded an excellent home result at the weekend which helped them recover from the 3-0 reverse they suffered at Eastbourne Borough the previous game.

Glenn added: “They’re off the back of a great win, and they will have done really well to beat Welling 3-0. Overall they’ve not had the best of starts but I know Bairdy very well and he’ll have them drilled. We’ve done our homework on them and know what they’re about. They had a chance of policy over the summer, went full time and brought in some younger lads but they’ll have some familiar faces in there too.”

Anthony Cook, who misses the rest of the season with a ruptured ligament, will definitely be absent from the Clarets’ midfield. Skipper David Rainford continues to recover from his own injury and sits out while one or two other players will be assessed after picking up knocks at Salisbury as Glenn weighs up his options.

Free for Under 11s! Bring your children along to the Clarets’ home games as any Under 11s can get in to watch their local club from the terraces for free! What’s more, the admission prices for adults (£11.50), concessions (£7.50) and children aged 12 to 16 (£3.50) represent a mere fraction of the cost of a Premier or Football League ticket. A seat in the Main Stand can also be secured for an extra pound.

Eastleigh: Address: Silverlake Stadium, Ten Acres, Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 9HT. Phone: (023) 8061 3361. Position Last Season: 8th in the Blue Square South. Miles from Chelmsford: 126. Approx. Journey Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes. Nickname: The Spitfires. Team Colours: White & Navy Blue. Ground Capacity: 2,300 (385 Covered Terracing). Seats: 175. Official Website: www.eastleigh-fc.co.uk.

Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy. 13 degrees Celsius. Wind 16 mph.

Blue Square Bet Odds: Chelmsford City 4/7, Draw 11/4, Eastleigh 4/1. Do you fancy a flutter? Then visit www.bluesq.com/chelmsford where you can register to earn money for the Clarets when you open a brand new Blue Square account.

Follow the Clarets Online! Stay up-to-date with all the latest Clarets news, results, offers and information through the club’s brand new official Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/OfficialClarets or search for, and follow, ‘OfficialClarets’. This new service runs in conjunction with the existing unofficial feed from ‘CCFCUpdates’ which is also a useful source of updated scores and match details.

Build-Up to Kick-Off in Style! Three-course meals can be booked before every home game, with a two-course service and soft drink provided in place of a starter for midweek matches. The package includes express gate entry, access to the Don Walker Suite bar, reserved Main Stand seats, half time refreshments, a programme and the chance to meet the players after the game. The price is £35 per person, with a discount for 10 or more guests. Drinks at the bar are not included. To book, contact Bev on (01245) 290959.

Supporters Club Man of the Match: For home games, all City supporters can vote for their Man of the Match. The winner will be announced in the Don Walker Lounge where Supporters Club members are invited to congratulate the winner after the game. To register your vote, simply text the name of your chosen player, to (07570) 244929 near the end of the game (or up to 5:30pm on Saturdays), when the winner is announced.