In an increasingly tight Eastern Conference — just four points separate 6th from 12th — Birmingham Legion’s home encounter with Hartford Athletic is looking like a real six-pointer.

After a rough start to the season, the Connecticut team have found a vein of form. Their 2-0 win over Miami FC on Wednesday saw them leapfrog the Three Sparks into 9th, one point outside the playoffs.

Legion sit in 10th with the same number of points (19) but have played two games more than their opponent. As such, a win tonight at Protective is vital.

“The players have to understand and feel the importance,” Mark Briggs said. “Not to give any anxiety, not to give any fear, but to go out and perform. The only thing I expect of [them tonight] is to run, to communicate and to compete. That’s the three things [they] can control.”

When Birmingham last played them, Hartford Athletic were dead last without a win to their name. The Three Sparks fell 1-0 in Connecticut against the run of play and will be keen to avenge that encounter.

Tyler Pasher said both teams are very different from the ones that faced off in that early-season game.

“We just have to approach each game the same, regardless,” Pasher said. “We go in with the intention to win and we know that we’re always going to face a difficult opponent. We know that the games and the points will take care of themselves once we start winning.”

Hartford have completely turned their fortunes around since that early game. From winless in the first few weeks, they have now won four of their last eight, with just one loss in that time.

In contrast, Birmingham continue to have a very stop-start season. Their most recent game, a chaotic 3-3 draw at Phoenix Rising, was just the latest example of their inconsistencies.

“That’s kind of the season,” Briggs said of the Phoenix game. “There are some good [things] but the bad [ones] keep turning up. We have to just be a little more clear with the guys on the importance of their positioning, the importance of the different thirds of the field and what differences there are in the different third of the field.”

One welcome help for Briggs is the healthiness of his squad.

After struggling with injuries throughout the season, Birmingham Legion boast a near-perfect bill of health heading into the final few weeks. Kameron Lacey and Moses Mensah are the only blemishes to the list, both unlikely to return to the field this season.

Every other player who’s missed game time in recent weeks, including Phanuel Kavita, Danny Trejo and Dawson McCartney, are available for selection. While minutes will still need to be managed in some cases, it provides Briggs a welcome headache heading into the home stretch.

“It’s a great headache,” Briggs said. “I have to make decisions on the starting 11. I have to make decisions on the squad. But that’s what you want, and that’s what you need to eliminate any complacency if there is any.”

Though the team has seen an uptick in performances in recent weeks, the home form remains a worry. Briggs said he did not shy away from it with the team, making sure they are both aware of it but also learn to block out any negative noise around it.

With a bye week next weekend, tonight’s game is also the team’s last outing prior to their USL Jägermeister Cup quarterfinal clash at Rhode Island FC on August 20. Winning could not only prove vital to league hopes, but provide a much-needed moral boost ahead of the massive encounter.

But for now, the team isn’t looking at anything other than Hartford.

“Every game is important for us right now, at this stage of the season,” Sebastian Tregarthen said. “We know that these three points are going to be crucial for us to get in the playoffs. Each game we play is a very important game for us.”

Birmingham Legion host Hartford Athletic at 7 p.m. at Protective Stadium.

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