MALDON and Tiptree boss Terry Spillane has challenged his players to stay unbeaten for the rest of 2012.

The Ryman One North leaders have been in scintillating form and are yet to lose any of their opening 15 games.

They have won 13 matches in a row and engineered a 12-point lead over second-placed Grays Athletic.

Now Spillane has issued a challenge to his players – to maintain their title-winning form into the New Year.

They still have four games left in December, with the penultimate fixture in that sequence being their eagerly-awaited derby against Heybridge Swifts.

“We’ve given the boys a target, to win every game until the end of 2012,” said Spillane.

“We’ve already achieved more than anyone expected and it won’t be the end of the world when we do lose a game.

“But to keep the run going into next year would be phenomenal.

“The boys keep lifting the bar and that’s why it’s good to set new challenges.

“Players like that and need to be given targets.

“It’s funny because in some ways we don’t want to keep talking about the run, but it’s impossible not to.

“The longer it goes on, the more everyone is speaking and thinking about it and it’s a lovely thing to be part of.”

Maldon travel to Harlow on Saturday.