Declan Devine says he has faith in his table-topping Bohemians side to use a testing Easter weekend, including a massive Dublin derby at home to champions and bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers, to prove their rise to the top is no fluke but the outcome of clever recruitment.

Bohs are today ahead of second-placed Derry and ten points ahead of Rovers, but with fixtures at home to the Hoops on Friday and a Monday trip to manager Devine’s former club Derry, the league table next week could have a different appearance.

It's a big moment for Devine, his 11th game in charge of the side but his first Bohs-Rovers game, a fixture even more intense than the Belfast derby he competed in as a Glentoran player.

“If you look at it as a derby in terms of how long this rivalry is going and what it means to so many people, I think it has got something special,” he says.

"Linfield-Glentoran was something else as well. That was spicy. Derry-Harps has been spicy over the years, but when you look at the magnitude of the clubs, the size of the fanbases, the history, ex-players, the interest it generates, I think it's something special."

Devine waved away comparisons between his side and Arsenal – neither rated as title contenders at the start of the season but topping their respective leagues – and maintains their rise is deserved.

"I have absolute trust in our players. Talking about being top of the league and winning leagues is of no interest to me, to be honest,” he said.

"We haven't looked past the next game, but when you have the quality of opponents that we do have in the space of four days, it's important, but that's not to say we won't be going all-out for a performance on Friday night. That has to be the priority and then we dust ourselves down for Monday.

"We weren't ever going to be in a position at the start of the year and say, 'let's get into the top two, let's get into the top three'. We were about trying to grow as a group, trying to get a style and a way of playing, an identity of playing.

"Nothing surprises me with this group. I back them in every game. There is nothing for them to fear other than complacency and knowing that we can't drop our standards at any stage."

"I trust in my players and I think we will get better. I think we have a lot of talent and we've players who have yet to play this year who will have a big role in the team. Nothing surprises me with these players because I've seen it from the day dot.

"I thought our recruitment was spot on. We brought in players with good experience but also with a real technical ability. There were also very good players already here. Look at [Jonathan] Afolabi, look at Ali Coote.

“Ali Coote, for me, has been the best player in the league over the course of the last six or seven weeks. I think he's just been sensational. I think he's grown in his swagger and the way he plays. His stats are magnificent. His work ethic is magnificent.

"I look at Afolabi and the way he plays in that role as a striker, his ability to work centre-backs and run in behind. I think has been a huge component for us as well.”

The Bohs defensive unit is a new one compared to last season. While left back Paddy Kirk is back at Bohs for his second spell, it’s the form of Polish imports Kacper Radkowski and Krystian Nowak which has impressed.

"They've been outstanding, they've been a real shining light, as has Grant Horton,” says Devine.

"We've good footballers as well as good defenders. Recruitment is very difficult, there wasn't a lot of Irish-based defenders available in the last window, so we used our contacts," added Devine, who credits the club’s general manager Pat Fenlon with a role in bringing in Nowak.

“He's a very calming influence, a very talented boy. I'm delighted to have the two of them. It's probably more coincidence that they're two Polish lads than anything else, but they've settled ready well.”