Harrow boss David Howell has plenty to ponder ahead of his side's double road trip this Saturday and next Tuesday.
Borough travel to Sutton United on Saturday before heading to the War Memorial Sports Ground where another promotion-chasing side, Carshalton Athletic, lie in wait.
And despite being unable to record a third straight Ryman Premier victory last weekend, Harrow head into the weekend full of confidence after Tuesday's 4-1 League Cup quarter final triumph over Horsham.
Young striker, Gary Noel, bagged two that night and Howell is backing the diminuitive front man to continue his purple patch at the Borough Sports Ground on Saturday.
However, Howell has a defensive headache after several recalled players performed well on Tuesday, while he is also looking to extend midfielder Dorian Smith's stay after his month loan from Welling United expired after Tuesday's game. Due to a combination of sickness, lateness and lack of fitness, Smith has only played 45 minutes of league football for Harrow but would favour staying on for a further month.
Howell will also be looking for more firepower should striker Dewayne Clarke opt to join Harrow's league rivals Boreham Wood, after they made a seven day approach for him earlier this week.
That prompted an angry response from the Borough boss, who has already lost Danny Murphy to the Wood just weeks after signing him.
"Boreham Wood came in and took Danny the other month and they want to take another of my players," said Howell. "Why can't they go and take players from another league? I don't do it - I go in for players that are not playing or have become disillusioned.
"Other clubs know we don't have a lot of money to throw around and will come and try and take our best players and offer them more.
"If Clarkey wants to go then there is nothing I can do about it, but of course I want to keep him. Since Grievesy (Darren Grieves) has been out Dewayne has led the front-line well."
Gary Noel did the same against Hor-sham after fluffing his lines in the home defeat to AFC Hornchurch.
"He had not played 90 minutes for a while, so he got a little tired on Saturday," added the manager. "Once fatigue sets in your concentration and quality starts lacking.
"I played him up front on his own on Tuesday and he really enjoyed the extra responsibility. It made him focus on keeping the ball as he was the only one up there. He worked hard, relished the role and got his reward with the two goals."
Harrow have yet to play division new boys Sutton this season but know all about Tuesday's opponents Carshalton. Richard Jolly scored four as they destroyed Borough 5-1 at Earlsmead at the start of the season.
"Sutton are a big, strong side while Carshalton are one of the best footballing sides in the division," commented Howell. "We saw that first hand at our place.
"They are two difficult matches but I'm not worried about other teams [2014] the only thing that worries me is us and our inconsistency. Sometimes we might play for the first 45 minutes or the second, but not the entire 90."
Howell is also happy to welcome Jerome Hall back to the club after he went AWOL earlier in the season, citing his lack of passion for the game. However, Hall has returned a new man, according to Howell.
"I like Jerome. He has the X-factor, something unconventional about the way he plays. He's got rid of his demons and come back. He's been back training with us for a month but I have ignored him on purpose. He has not thrown in the towel and that tells me something."
UP NEXT: Sutton united
**Where? Borough Sports Ground, Saturday, 3pm
* Manager: Paul Doswell
* League record to date: P29 W13 D8 L8
* Last five (most recent first): D, W, D, L, L
* Last five home: D, D, L, W, W
**Top scorer: Gavin McCallum (12)
* Current league position: 5th
* Last season: 22nd (relegated from Conference South)
* 2007/08 season: N/A
