FORMER Lambs skipper Chris Smith has warned his Mansfield team-mates they must be 100 per cent on their game this Saturday, writes Matt Panter.

Smith quit Tamworth in the summer to join the Stags at Field Mill and has enjoyed early success with Mansfield topping the Conference.

But he has watched with interest as Tamworth have started positively.

Smith said: "I'm looking forward to the game and we have to make sure that we are up for the battle or we will be turned over.

"I think some people say 'make sure you don't under-estimate Tamworth' but that shouldn't be the case anyway.

"Tamworth are a good side in their own right, very much establishing themselves at this level, so why would you under-estimate them?

"I know that we will be in for a tough afternoon on Saturday. Tamworth are more than capable of coming here and getting a win.

"Gary Mills will have the lads up for it, there's no question about that and we have to match their effort and desire.

"But I'm looking forward to the challenge. I still keep in touch with a lot of the lads.

"We had a great bunch of lads at Tamworth last season but I'm enjoying my time at Mansfield now and we have had a good start.

"But it's still early days and just as you can go on a good run, it's easy to have a bad one in this division."

Smith added that he is not surprised at Tamworth's positive start this season – and knows he is in for a tough afternoon against Kyle Perry.

"Gary (Mills) has done a great job of forming a squad again by the looks of it and it's no surprise," Smith added.

"He is very good at finding individuals and fitting them into the way he wants to play the game.

"He does a great job on a low budget and full credit to him. Kyle (Perry) is one of the good signings he has made and he will have a point to prove against his old club.

"I've played against him before and he's a handful but I'm looking forward to that battle."