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The Hi-His are three points above their title rivals at the league summit with a game in hand as Steven Chalmers’ side visit Millfield Park tomorrow afternoon. “To us it’s a big game, but it won’t define our season as we’ve still got a game in hand,” said Bonnar.

The manager added: “The pressure on Leith for every minute of the game is going to be intense – we can go in with less pressure on us and ifwe do get a positive result then we can look to the next game.

“We are looking mentally fresh; we’ve not had to go to the same well for the same players.

Haddington Athletic are enjoying a productive season in the East of Scotland First Division

“I was fortunate that I managed to get to a couple of Leith’s games and thefirst thing that struck me was that they look mentally drained.

“In the last few weeks they haven’t had the results they’d have wanted.

“They are a dangerous opponent, but when I’ve seen them they’ve looked a bit mentally drained rather than physically drained to me.”

Bonnar has a few selection decisions to make after a much-changed XI knocked-out Premier League Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts 4-2 in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup last weekend, which included a first start for Mark Shiells and a man-of-the match performance from 19-year-old defender Nick Aitchison.

Bonnar continued: “The team has been doing well, so I’ve had players on the bench who have been kicking their heels. I’ve kept saying to them over the season that they’d have their moments, so I was delighted for the boys who came in.

“We got the same performance with just different faces which shows what we are working on in training is working. It’s given me a lot of things to think about for Saturday.

“It’s credit to the players, they just keep improving every week and rising to the challenge.

“It’s testament to the squad that we’ve got, they keep surprising me and come up with the performances.”

Haddington Athletic boss Scott Bonar claims Leith Athletic players look ‘mentally drained’

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