Saturday's Blue Square South Preview

Nine matches take place in the Blue Square South on Saturday afternoon. Come this way to read all the previews ahead of what is sure to be another exciting afternoon of football action.

Basingstoke v Welling

Basingstoke will be hoping to climb out of the relegation zone when they host high-flying Welling United.

The Dragons have made something of a mini revival recently and will hope to see it continue, despite their loss to Eastleigh on New Years Day.

Frank Gray's men had gone five matches unbeaten before their loss on Thursday, making them one of the form teams in the Blue Square South.

The Wings are also in good form at the moment and they are keen to see it continue as they look to secure a play-off place.

Andy Ford's charges started the new year off with a bang, beating Bromley 3-1. That result will have boosted United and they will use that in their favour when they travel for this tough away trip.

Bath City v Bishop's Stortford

Bath City will be hoping to keep up their pursuit of a play-off place when they host struggling Bishop's Stortford.

Gethin Jones is manager Adie Britton's only absentee for a clash which he hopes will produce three points for his men - if it goes ahead.

The Romans boss told This Is Bath: "We'll get to the ground early and have a good look at everyone.

"Hopefully the game will be on because we produced a fantastic performance at Dorchester and want to keep it going."

The Bishops made a poor start to the first half of the season and they will need to improve on their previous form if they are to avoid the dreaded drop.

Mark Simpson started the new year off with a disappointing defeat to Braintree Town and they will be hoping to put the result behind them as they look to salvage their season.

Bognor Regis Town v AFC Wimbledon

Bottom-of-the-table Bognor Regis Town come up against a strong AFC Wimbledon side on Saturday afternoon.

The Rocks have struggled this season and will need to improve quickly if they want to avoid relegation.

Manager Mick Jenkins is looking for a positive response from his players as quickly as possible.

He told the Bognor Regis Observer: "The players need to realise the position we're in and wake up to the fact that it won't improve without them giving 100 per cent for every minute of every game.

"We have to stay positive - a new year is certainly the time to have that sort of outlook - but we have to match positive thoughts with positive actions on the pitch."

On the other side of the coin, AFC Wimbledon have been fantastic this season and remain strong contenders for promotion.

The Dons started the new year in fine style by beating Fisher Athletic 3-0 and they will be hoping to carry their form into their first away fixture of the year.

Striker Danny Kedwell is rated as a doubt for the fixture and will take a fitness test ahead of kick off.

Manager Terry Brown has no other injury or suspension worries ahead of the clash.

Braintree Town v Maidenhead United

Maidenhead United will be looking to strengthen their claims for a play-off place when they travel to Braintree Town.

Magpies manager Johnson Hippolyte has a number of injuries to contend with.

He will leave it late before naming his side as a few of his injured players may come through late fitness tests.

Hippolyte told the Maidenhead Advertiser: "Injuries are a concern.

"We had about five out at one stage in November and got through it, but things are worse now."

The Irons claimed a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over Bishop's Stortford on New Years Day and they will hope to carry that result forward going into their first home fixture of the year.

Danny Hockton has been the home side's form player this season and he will be hoping that his impressive goalscoring run can go on into the new year.

Bromley v Havant & Waterlooville

Bromley will hope to get the better of Havant & Waterlooville in their mid-table clash at Hayes Lane on Saturday.

Mark Goldberg's charges will look to put their New Years Day disappointment against Welling behind them in front of their own supporters.

Warren McBean has been one of the Lillywhites' shining lights in an otherwise average season and they will again look to the forward for an impressive performance.

The Hawks will also view the first half of their season as a disappointment and will hope that the new year brings with it a change in fortune.

A 2-2 draw with bottom-of-the-table Bognor on New Years Day will not be seen as an ideal start to 2009, but a victory away at Bromley with go a long way in boosting the confidence around Westleigh Park.

Hayes & Yeading v Worcester

Hayes & Yeading will view their clash with Worcester as the ideal opportunity to strengthen their claims for a place in the play-offs.

Hayes are just three points off a play-off position and they will hope that 2009 brings with it new positives.

Josh Scott has proved to be the main man and will want to add to his 12 goals in all competitions.

New signings Omari Coleman and Calum Botham will both be looking to impress following their moves over the festive period.

City manager Richard Dryden will take some positives from his side's New Years Day match being postponed.

Dryden's injury-hit squad had an extra day to try and recover and that bodes well going into this fixture.

Dave Bampton is now fully-fit, with Marco Adaggio and Sam Tyack, both ruled out on Thursday, nearing a return to action.

However, Graham Ward will not feature at all as he is still struggling with a hamstring problem.

Newport County v Chelmsford

Chelmsford will be hoping to extend their lead at the top of the table when they travel to Newport County on Saturday afternoon.

Exiles manager Dean Holdsworth has had a terrible time with injuries in recent weeks, but those problems are slowly starting to disappear.

Nathan Davies is still out, while Adie Harris is suspended. However, those are Holdsworth's only concerns as he expects to have an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from.

The Clarets have taken the league by storm this season and are now the clear favourites to win the league and achieve promotion to the Blue Square Premier.

The target of promotion is one that is shared by the club's chairman Peter Webb.

Webb told This Is Total Essex: "We're in a fantastic position at present.

"We've a good team, good manager and great support from fans and it would be a tremendous feat to gain promotion for the second consecutive season."

"There's still a long way to go but we're in the driving seat as it were and in a way it's there for us to lose.

"I would now naturally be disappointed if we didn't make promotion this season, either by winning the league or the play-offs, but it wouldn't be a complete disaster because we are building the club with the long term future in mind.

"We've invested heavily in the playing side for this season to help us get promoted and it's paying dividends."

Dave Rainford has been the club's top performer this season and many believe he will be key to Chelmsford's chances of maintaining their fantastic promotion-chasing run.

St Albans v Dorchester

St Albans' hopes of reaching the play-offs will hinge on their home form in 2009, starting with their clash against Dorchester on Saturday.

The Saints have been rather average at home this season and they will need to improve on that record if they are to achieve their goal of reaching the play-off places.

Steve Castle's men have not won in six matches, with three draws and three defeats.

Paul Hakim will again be looked to for inspiration having found the back of the net on 10 occasions so far this season.

Dorchester manager Shaun Brooks has called on his players to improve when they travel to the Saints.

The Magpies lost 2-0 to Bath City on New Years Day and Brooks is demanding that his side pull off a result on Saturday.

He told the Dorset Echo: "We've just got to keep going because other than these two defeats to Bath we've been in good form so we need to get back to that.

"Our players have got to continue to work hard and show belief in what we're trying to do.

"Perhaps this is a bit of a wake- up call for some of the players because in both games against Bath we've found no way through them, probably just one or two chances in 180 minutes.

"Two games in three days is a tough hit but at least we can try to put in a decent performance and try to pick up some points."

Gary Bowles and Jake Smeeton will not be available for selection due to respective injuries.

Thurrock v Team Bath

Thurrock will be encouraged by their narrow defeat to Chelmsford when they host Team Bath.

The Fleet lost out by the odd goal in a five-goal thriller against the league leaders and they will take heart from their battling performance.

Michael Spencer will not be available for selection following his transfer to Fisher Athletic.

Team Bath's New Years Day clash with Weston-super-Mare was postponed due to a frozen pitch so Andy Tillson's men should be fresher than their hosts.

Team Bath are still very much in amongst the play-off contenders and a victory away from home will go a long way in boosting the squad.

Steve Abbott has been in fine form this season and he will be hoping that his fine performances continue well into 2009.