JOHN Mills will do his former side no favours as he makes his first return to Didcot Town for high-flying Hereford tomorrow.

The prolific striker, from Abingdon, bagged 57 goals in his final season with the Railwaymen, before he and teammate Pablo Haysham departed for the newly-reformed Bulls in the summer of 2015.

Helping Hereford to promotion from the Midland League and appearing at Wembley in the final of the Buildbase FA Vase last season, netting 52 times along the way, Mills is looking for a second successive promotion.

With 41 goals scored already this season in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West, he is also looking to break the 50-mark for the third campaign running.

And the 25-year-old does not intend to let his old club stop him.

“We’re all fully focused on winning the league this season, so there’s no room for sentiment,” said Mills.

“I’m coming to the end of my second season at the club now and looking at everything we’ve done – winning the league last season and reaching a Wembley final – I wouldn’t change it for anything.

“Hereford has become my second home now.”

Of his former teammates, Mills added: “I work with Leigh Bedwell and Jack Longford and I’m really good mates with James Organ and a few of the other lads at Didcot.

“I see them during the week, but come Saturday it’ll be business as usual.

“We’ll probably have a drink together after the game, but before then it’ll be strictly professional.”

Didcot are yet to taste victory in 2017 – a winless run stretching for nine games.

But player-manager Andy Ballard believes the visit of the league leaders offers his side the perfect chance to turn it around.

“This game couldn’t have come at a better time for us,” Ballard said.

“Hereford are top of the league and with Pablo and John returning I know everyone is going to be really up for it without me even having to say anything.

“It’ll be a close game, I’m sure of that.”

Didcot are one of only six sides to take points off Hereford so far this season, coming from behind to claim a 2-2 draw at Edgar Street in October.

That sparked off a run of six matches unbeaten and Ballard is hoping for a repeat this weekend.

He said: “That result really kickstarted our campaign and we could do with a similar boost.

“We’re on a bad run of form, not playing particularly well or picking up points and confidence is a bit low.

“It’s a massive game for us.”

Striker George Reid comes straight into the side for the Railwaymen after re-signing from Swindon Supermarine this week, while midfielder Taylor Janes returns after recovering from a calf injury.

However, Ryan Barney remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.

TOMORROW’S SQUAD

Didcot Tn (v Hereford, home): from Bedwell, Ballard, Learoyd, Collins, Keeble, Barder, R Tanner, Lovegrove, Thomas, Elkins, Joyce, McNish, Thorne, B Whitehead, Tatford, Cattell, Andrady, Hoskins, Organ, Jeacock, Longford, J Tanner, H Whitehead, Janes, Reid.