HOME-GROWN midfielder Mark Kilty is hoping Quakers can continue their unbeaten run against Cardiff today - and erase the nightmare of the last visit from a top-three side in the process.

Quakers go into the clash against the second-placed Welshmen with a run of six unbeaten matches behind them and they have been beaten just once in their last 11 matches.

It's a run that seemed unbelievable when league leaders Chesterfield visited Feethams in January and won a one-sided game 3-0.

"We were battered that day," said Kilty, who has made the central midfield spot his own since he broke back into the side at Christmas.

"We were outplayed by a much better team. But now, we're much more confident after our unbeaten run and there's a much better spirit in the team than there was three months ago.

"This will be a good test for us, to see how far we've come, and I'm sure we can do well."

Kilty wasn't even included in the squad when Quakers lost the reverse fixture this season, and from today's possible team only five players appeared in the 2-0 defeat at Ninian Park.

He scored his first goal in senior football on Tuesday, and said: "It was a great feeling when I scored but I didn't know what to do afterwards as I've not scored many goals in my career."

Manager Gary Bennett is full of praise for the 20-year-old, who was awarded a new contract last month.

He said: "I know a few people raised their eyebrows when I released Stuart Elliott last month and comments were passed.

"But Mark has been a revelation. He keeps things simple, he wins the ball and then passes it.

"Against Shrewsbury he scored a really good goal, running 60 yards to get on the end of a pass from John Williams."

Kilty takes his place in midfield today as Quakers look for further points to guarantee their safety, although their present tally of 46 points could just be enough.

From their current spot of 15th, they would need a bizarre sequence of results to go against them between now and the end of the season to be relegated.

But Bennett still won't accept that the fight is over. "The ball's still in our court. I don't want us to rely on other teams. We have seven games left and I want us to win all seven.

"We've worked really hard in the last few weeks and I don't want us to lose.

"We must continue to show the same battling spirit and work hard for each other on the field.

"There's plenty of confidence in the side because we've only lost one game in 11 . The players have shown they've got the ability and the workrate as well.

"We've been working on one or two things in training and it was great to see them come off against Shrewsbury.

"We're really looking forward to this game and the one on Monday against Brighton."

Quakers are one of the division's form teams but so are Cardiff, who have lost just once in their last six matches. Geordie-born Paul Brayson has been their match-winner lately.

Quakers have several selection posers as Mark Ford, Phil Brumwell and Steve Harper, who have all been struggling for the last few days, reported fit yesterday, but keeper Andy Collett definitely comes back into contention.

Assistant manager Mick Tait said: "They're all desperate to play. Mark and Steve have both said they're fit and want to start the game.

"We know which team we want to play, but we've also thought of alternatives just in case. It won't be a disadvantage if we have to change it at the last minute but we have also got to think about Monday."

Today's game will also see the return to Feethams of former assistant manager Ian Butterworth, who is now assistant to Alan Cork at Cardiff.

His first game at Cardiff was ironically against Darlington in October.

Read more about the Quakers here.