Forest Green Rovers brought the Blues back down to earth with a bump at the New Lawn last season, cruising to a 3-0 win in January.
Steve Burr had not long been appointed and his reign had begun with back-to-back wins, but the defeat illustrated the size of the task facing the new boss.
A brutal battering at the hands of Barnet on Saturday means expectations are much lower for tonight's game.
Forest Green have Football League ambitions and have once again made a significant investment in the squad over the close-season.
Manager Ady Pennock has added size and experience and Rovers will be a far more physical side than over the past few seasons.
Blues reporter Jim Green highlights some of the individual battles that could be key to tonight's game (7.45pm).
John Rooney v Clovis Kamdjo
Rooney showed last season that he has the talent to trouble any defence in this league.
His ability on the ball, his movement and his range of passing is second to none, but he can struggle to impose himself on games and when he does the Blues suffer.
Rooney has been used in a deeper role in pre-season but his best position is as a traditional number 10 behind the forwards.
If the Blues are to make an impression this season then they need to get the best out of Rooney.
Cameroon-born defensive midfielder Kamdjo departed crumbling Salisbury City to sign a two-year deal at the New Lawn this summer.
He moved to the UK aged 14 and was with Reading until being released in 2009 and moving to Barnet.
Kamdjo was employed as a right back or centre half before Lawrie Sanchez converted him into a midfield enforcer. He spent four seasons in London but Edgar Davids was not a fan and let the 23-year-old go last June.
He produced some excellent performances for the Whites, breaking up play and protecting the back four.
Kamdjo will be charged with keeping a close eye on Rooney tonight and he will hussle and harass the Blues star for the entire 90 minutes.
Matty Brown v Jon Parkin
Matty Brown had a real battle on his hands trying to contain Barnet's John Akinde at the weekend.
Akinde has frustrated previous managers with his failure to make the most of his assets but on Saturday he was outstanding.
Brown is a strong, no-nonsense defender but he struggled to match the sheer size and power of the ex-Alfreton Town forward
As the captain, Brown will have felt the hurt of the 5-0 hammering more than most and will want to put that right tonight.
But he will find himself having to deal with a bloke even bigger than Akinde.
Parkin is known as 'The Beast' and the 32-year-old won't move around as much as the Barnet man but he will be just as much of a handful.
Expect Forest Green to launch balls forward to his head and his feet and look to feed off his knock-downs and lay-offs.
Peter Winn v David Pipe
Winn has shown during pre-season that he can be a dangerous weapon on the left wing but he struggled to get into the game on Saturday.
He has plenty of experience in this league and has the potential to be a key player this season.
His pre-season was interrupted with an injury and that looked to take its tool on him against Barnet, but as he gets more minutes under his belt then there will be more to come.
He will need to be on song against one of the best fullbacks in the league.
Pipe was the Newport County captain when the Exiles won promotion to the Football League and he's been brought in to help Rovers do the same.
He's an imposing specimen physically and a combative sort who looks to make life difficult for his opponents.
