Balestier Khalsa will look to continue their push for a top-three finish in this season's Great Eastern Yeo's S.League when they host Brunei DPMM on Saturday night at the Toa Payoh Stadium.
After a stop-start beginning to the campaign, Marko Kraljevic's men have steadied the ship and are currently on a seven-game unbeaten run and have lost only once in their last 11 league games.
"From last year, we changed half the team," he told ESPNFC. "Then, it takes some time to gel [but now] I think we are getting better."
The affable Croatian added that the unbeaten streak has given "more confidence" to his charges and that should serve them well when they entertain the league leaders.
Victory would see them move up one place to third and narrow the gap on DPMM to three points with 10 games left.
Steve Kean's men have lost one and drawn three of their last four away games and Kraljevic feels the Tigers have a good chance of at taking all three points.
"If we win the game, [it means] four, five clubs can [still] challenge for the championship," he said.
"At Toa Payoh, we have got some advantage. We play at home, we train [there] every day and we know the pitch better than the opponents."
A win would also help Balestier move a step closer to bettering last season's sixth-placed finish.
"I think the top three is a realistic one," he responded when asked about a target. We could do better, that would be good, but I think top three is reachable for us."
Striker Miroslav Kristic, who has plundered nine goals -- third-most in the league overall -- will return to the team after missing their last league game. Full-backs Ahmad Syahir and Ho Wai Loon are out injured, along with forward Fadhil Noh.
That still leaves Balestier with enough firepower to overcome opponents whom they beat 2-1 back in May, which remains the only defeat in nine matches that DPMM have suffered at the Hassanal Bolkiah.
However, Kraljevic is aware that they have to keep tabs on the dangerous duo of Rafael Ramazotti, the league's top scorer who towers above most with his giant frame, and the skilful Paulo Sergio, who returned from injury in his last game and scored just eight minutes in with a free kick.
The absence of the suspended Azwan Ali, the only player to reach 10 league assists so far, is welcome though. Regardless, Balestier do not fear their opponents.
"These two must be marked very tightly... they make things [happen and] if we can stop them, I think we can score the goals [we need]," Kraljevic asserted in typical bravado.
"We are up there, we are [in the] top four and everybody is looking forward to [playing] DPMM, to try to close down the gap between us."
Balestier Khalsa Probable Lineup: Zaiful Nizam (C), Yusiskandar Yusop, Igor Cerina, Nurullah Hussein, Hanafi Salleh, Zulkiffli Hassim, Poh Yi Feng, Emir Lotinac, Tarik Cmajcanin, Miroslav Kristic, Robert Pericic
Brunei DPMM Probable Lineup: Wardun Yussof, Aminuddin Zakwan, Boris Raspudic, Brian McLean, Sairol Sahari, Hendra Azam, Joseph Gamble, Rosmin Kamis (C), Azwan Ali, Paulo Sergio, Rafael Ramazotti.