Tom Bolarinwa has always wanted to play in the big games, and none are bigger than this weekend’s top of the table clash with Ebbsfleet United.

The Sutton United winger hit double figures on the National League South goals chart during last weekend’s 4-0 win at Margate, and he also featured in the 2-0 win over Bishop’s Stortford on Monday that lifted United to the top of the table.

It has set up this weekend’s mouth-watering match with the leaders up until Monday, and with more than 3,000 fans expected to cram into Gander Green Lane, it should be some occasion and not for the faint-hearted.

However, Bolarinwa knows the crowd will be behind United, and he insists he thrives on the big game atmosphere.

“I am the kind of player who always wants to be playing in the biggest games I can,” he said.

“This weekend will be the biggest game I have played in and it feels great to be a part of it, I know what it means to Sutton and I know the whole club is buzzing.”

He added: “When you have the crowd behind you then they become that 12th man.

“Our fans have been great all season, and they showed that at Maidstone, it was great.”

Despite hitting the top of the table on Monday and being there to be shot at, Bolarinwa reckons the pressure is not on them.

“We’ve only just gone top and so we don’t have that pressure of being top all season, only to be caught and over-taken in the final games,” he said.

“We have the quality to be top, we have shown that and we are where we deserve to be.”

Although he has found the back of the net regularly this season, Bolarinwa is not dreaming of scoring a winning goal this weekend.

He said: “I don’t care who scores, all I am focussed on is winning the game.

“But it’s just another game. If we win, then we’re a step closer, but even if we lose, we still have a couple of games left – it certainly would not be over.”