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Saturday's Blue Square South Preview

Blue Square South has eight matches scheduled for the weekend. Lets just hope that the weather plays in our favour this time...

Bath City v Thurrock

Bath City will be hoping to keep up with their fellow promotion hopefuls when they host Thurrock at Twerton Park.

The Romans have been in fine form this season and will hope that they can carry their impressive performances forward into 2009.

Striker Dave Gilroy, boosted by his Blue Square South player of the month award for December, will be ready to add to his tally for the season.

The Fleet have seen a fair bit of transfer activity this week, with players coming and going.

Danny Hart, Michael Spencer and Bai Mas Lettejallow have all left the club, while Kenny Beeney will be hoping to earn a place in the starting lineup after arriving from Blue Square Premier outfit Grays Athletic.

Doubts have been cast over the match as the Twerton Park pitch is still frozen from last weekend. A decision will be made on Saturday morning.

The Romans currently occupy ninth place with 35 points, while the Fleet sit in 16th spot with 23 points.

Bishop's Stortford v Team Bath

Bishop's Stortford will view their clash with Team Bath as a must-win fixture as they look to climb away from the relegation zone.

Boss Mark Simpson's charges have struggled to find the net this season, something which he feels they have to improve on of they are to move away from danger.

Simpson told the Herts And Essex Observer: "I would be more worried if we were not creating chances.

"We put two over the bar from three yards [against Braintree] and had 12 corners against them at home.

"It's a matter of us eliminating the silly goals being conceded and taking our chances."

The Scholars have been in fine form this season and are still in with a shout of securing a play-off place.

Steve Abbott has been Team Bath's major threat in attack this season and he will be needed to be at his best if they are to overcome a side scrapping for points.

Bishop's Stortford currently lie a place above the relegation zone with 19 points, while Team Bath are in seventh with a tally of 36 points.

Bromley v Braintree Town

Bromley and Braintree Town meet in a mid-table clash, with a place in the play-offs for both sides not out of sight just yet.

Town caretaker player-manager Bradley Quinton is looking for three points as his side look to climb up the table.

Quinton told This Is Total Essex: "They're a good footballing side and so are we so it should be a good game and all I want is for us to pick up all three points."

Quinton looks set to keep his role as player-manager until the end of the season after an impressive start to his post at the club.

The Irons have won three of their last six matches and will be confident going into the clash.

The Lillywhites have not had the best time of it recently, having won just one of their last six matches.

Bromley have also struggled for support this season, with an average attendance of just 459. The team will need a major boost from the fans if they are to realise their play-off dream.

Bromley currently occupy 12th place with 30 points, while Braintree Town sit a place above them on goal difference.

Chelmsford v Hampton & Richmond

Chelmsford City's bid to get back on track sees them entertain high-flying Hampton & Richmond Borough this Saturday at Melbourne, with memories of last week's damaging defeat in South Wales likely to fuel the Chelmsford squad's desire for a three-point haul.

With their midweek Setanta Shield fixture at Crawley Town being postponed due to a frozen pitch on Tuesday night, the Clarets have had seven long days to reflect on a 3-1 loss at Newport County, their first of the season away from home in the league.

Now head coach Glenn Pennyfather thinks they will go all out to put things right, telling the club's official website: "There were a number of reasons, rather than excuses, why we lost at Newport, which was a bad day at the office.

"We had a lot of travelling that day after a tough match just forty-eight hours earlier but we have to make sure we get back on track against Hampton."

Alan Devonshire's Hampton are going well in fourth spot in the Blue Square South table, eleven points behind City with a game in hand, and victory is vital for them if they are to harbour ambitions of automatic promotion.

Their 3-0 win at Weston-super-Mare on Saturday will have done them no harm, top scorer Ben Wright notching a hat-trick to contribute towards his twelve goals so far this season.

Boasting the Division's joint-meanest defence alongside Bath City, the Beavers have lost just twice in twelve away games, and Pennyfather is under no illusions as to the task ahead for the table-topping home team: "Hampton are on good form at the moment and they're another strong side. You always know that Alan's teams are going to be decent."

Chelmsford will be without influential midfielder Jeff Minton as he serves a suspension for accumulating five yellow cards, while Jon Keeling and James Lawson are the two most significant fitness doubts as the squad continue to battle a raging flu bug.

Glenn explained: "We still have a number suffering so, in a way, it was a bonus that the Crawley match was called off as the illness seems to be lingering. It is attacking us in stages at the moment - one player might recover but then two will go down with the bug!"

Dorchester v Fisher Athletic

Dorchester will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they clash with Fisher Athletic at the Jewson Stadium.

The Magpies struggled in their last two league matches and manager Shaun Brooks is eager to put that right this weekend.

Brooks told: "It's a game we're expected to win but Fisher are fighting for their lives.

"Their situation off the pitch has stabilised somewhat so it's going to be a tough game and we'll have to be at our best to get a result.

"We've got to get back on track.

"We've got three home games in a row coming up and in the last couple of months our home form has been okay so hopefully we can continue to pick up points.

"We had caught up with the middle bunch in the table but now we're a bit adrift of them and need to catch up.

"First and foremost we need to secure a number of points to be safe, then we'll look to finish as high up the table as we can."

Jake Smeeton and Tom Mitchell are both banned for the clash. However, Gary Bowles, Ryan Moss and Mark Jermyn are all available for selection following respective injuries.

Fisher Athletic have struggled recently and are currently languishing in the relegation zone.

The have picked up just one win from their last six matches, losing five.

The Fish have been poor in defence and have the worst goal difference in the league, negative 32.

Dorchester's mini revival should see them past Fisher, but the away side will be fired up as they look to climb out of the drop zone.

Eastleigh v St Albans

Eastleigh have the chance to close the gap on league leaders Chelmsford when they host St Albans at the Silverlake Stadium.

The Spitfires will be without Andy Forbes for some time after he sustained an Achilles injury. Forbes' absence is a major blow for the home side as he has been an influential player for them this season.

Anthony Riviere will need to be at his best to make up for the absence of Forbes, with much of the Spitfires' play likely to go through the talented midfielder.

Saints manager Steve Castle has a near to full strength squad available for selection.

However, Gary Cohen will not feature due to a three-game ban. Simon Martin will deputise in his absence.

Cohen is a big blow for the visitors as he was the chief destroyer during the last meeting between the sides, a match which the Saints won 5-0.

Newport County v Bognor Regis Town

Newport County will be hoping to create some daylight between themselves and the relegation zone when they host bottom-of-the-table Bognor Regis Town.

The Exiles completed the signing of Steve Butterworth during the week and he will be available for selection for the clash.

Manager Dean Holdsworth told the South Wales Argus: "Steve Butterworth is a gamble as he's stepping up a level, but he's young (23) and has bags of talent.

"We're a little short for natural wingers and I think he might just prove to be a great piece of business."

Danny Rose will miss the clash due to suspension, while Nathan Davies is sidelined by injury.

The Rocks are currently rock-bottom of the league table and will need to improve quickly if they are to survive relegation.

They are six points away from safety and have played more games than those around them, meaning that they face an uphill struggle.

Worcester City v Maidenhead United

Maidenhead United have the chance to climb into the play-off places when they travel to Worcester City.

City have had a terrible time when it comes to the weather recently and manager Richard Dryden has revealed that his charges just want to get out there and play football.

He told Worcester News: "We are desperate to play, the lads were champing at the bit to get some work done at training.

"They have been trying to keep themselves fit individually but that's totally different from training as a group. We are going to be fresh.

"Hopefully, we will start the new year well. We want to pick up points."

Graham Ward is available following a hamstring injury, but midfielder Dave Bampton is sidelined with an ankle problem.

United are flying high at the top end of the table and they would love for that to continue, despite injury concerns.

Magpies boss Johnson Hippolyte told the Maidenhead-Advertiser: "This is always the time of year when some squads are stretched.

"I thought it might happen.

"We are a bit thin on the ground especially at the back.

"However, I have options.

"Jermaine Hinds can move into centre half, which is not ideal, but he can do a job.

"Bobby Behzadi can then go into midfield.

"To be honest we have had to get (player/coach) Dave Clarke off his sickbed and training this week just in case.

"Experience and communication is the problem.

"It's great to have a few of the young players in, but not all at once.

"But they have all had a taste of playing this season and should relish the opportunity.

"I have faith in them."

Hippolyte has a number of concerns going into the match, but will assess the situation in greater detail closer to kick off.