Athletic find themselves the gatekeepers of the division because thanks to the heavy storm of April 8, Havelock North have not played the other contender in New Plymouth Rangers, who picked up the narrowest of wins over Athletic in both the League and the crushing extra time defeat in Chatham Cup.
"We know that they're certainly within our reach. They are teams we can definitely beat on our day," said King.
Both teams will have a point to prove this afternoon, he added.
"We start again.
"A lot of teams, they expected not too much when they came to play us.
"We showed we maybe got [ability] to play with more attitude to us - by the way we fought back in the second half.
"We have to show this wasn't a one off."
Like the long journey to Gisborne earlier in the campaign, King made sure his players 'only [had] milk and cookies on Friday night', while he is giving a second chance to several of them to keep their spots after they did not put forward their best effort in the 4-2 loss to PN Marist at Ashhurst Domain on last Saturday.
"Their body language showed they knew they didn't put in the effort.
"They know, because the Reserves, there are one or two putting their hands up."
Therefore the side is predominantly the same, with a three player bench, although Kelvin Hove will be rested for yet another week and Jai Stephens will come back up from the Reserves, just as he did on the trip to beat Gisborne Thistle.
"He put in a great shift so we're expecting big things from him."
Meanwhile, Big Orange Wanganui City 1sts coach Kelvin Francis knows people are expecting big things from his undefeated side in the Horizons Premiership - considering they've just poached his second star player.
Having previously worked through the departure of Jamie Lambe to PN Marist's Central League team, the undefeated City have now their lost second-highest goal scorer Jordan Joblin-Hall (six), to the same side.
Francis wryly side goodbye and good luck to Joblin-Hall, given PN Marist are currently dead last on the Central League table.
"He was an attacking weapon.
"He was given the opportunity to play Central League and wants to give it a crack.
"I'm not happy, but I couldn't fault him. You can't hold people back from their dreams."
Francis said the departure gives Cameron Hussey (one goal) a chance to make the left spot his own when the team heads to Donnelly Park to face third-placed Levin AFC this afternoon.
Coming off the high of beating Hokowhitu 1-0 to stake their unbeaten claim on top of the Premiership table, Francis pricked his ears up when his opposing coach let slip in their post-game chat that he had sent people around the region to watch the other teams.
Levin, playing at home with a decent 4-2 record, could now prove even tougher if they have been tipped off to City's strengths by a certain squad that needs the table leaders to lose if they are going to get back in the race.
"I have no doubt he would have spoken to somebody at Levin about us from last Saturday," Francis said.
As well as the loss of Joblin-Hall, Josh Jonas has gone down injured when he was expected back from his suspension for two yellow cards, causing another reshuffle.
"I'm still confident we've still got a good team," said Francis.
"As long as we do what we did last week, we'll be fine."
The home Horizons Premiership game will be GVCA Wanganui Athletic Reserves (1-2-3) hoping to climb another spot on the ladder if they can beat Palmerston North Boys High 1st XI (2-1-3) on Wembley Park No1 at 2.45pm.
