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Dean Holdsworth

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Saturday's Blue Square South Preview

League leaders Newport County will be looking to extend their 12-point lead on Saturday afternoon, while the chasing pack will hope to strengthen their respective play-off berths.

10th-placed Bath City prepare to take on Mark Simpson's Bishop's Stortford at Twerton Park after a weather enforced break from action.

The Citizens last played at home at the start of December and should have an almost fully-fit squad to choose from.

Influential midfielder Mark Badman is expected to make his return after recovering from a knee injury, but Marcus Browning faces a three-week spell on the sidelines after undergoing a minor knee operation

The Bishops currently find themselves sitting in 12th position with 33 points from 24 games.

High-flying Chelmsford City play host to 14th-placed Basingstoke Town as they look to leapfrog Dover Athletic into second place.

The Clarets currently occupy third place in the Blue Square South standings with 44 points from 25 games, while Basingstoke hold a total of 32 points from 25 matches.

Play-off hopefuls Staines Town take on strugglers Dorchester Town at the Avenue Stadium, while 18th-placed Hampton & Richmond Borough prepare for the visit of seventh-placed Bromley to Beveree Stadium.

16th-placed Havant and Waterlooville entertain play-off chasing Braintree Town at West Leigh Park, while relegation-threatened Lewes play host to fellow strugglers Weston-super-Mare at the Dripping Pan.

Johnson Hippolyte's Maidenhead United will be looking to further distance themselves from the dreaded drop zone when ninth-placed Eastleigh travel to York Road.

Newport County manager Dean Holdsworth has hinted that he could make changes to his starting line-up for the visit of 13th-placed St Albans City to Newport Stadium.

Holdsworth saw his side hold Blue Square Premier promotion hopefuls York City to a goalless draw in their midweek FA Trophy tie and will be hoping for another good performance when the replay takes place next week.

Holdsworth told the South Wales Argus: "The trip to York will be another good test for us at a Football League standard ground but the league is what is most important to us.

"The players came in for training last night as usual. That shows how dedicated they are and they know we can't take our eye off the ball.

"I'll make some changes to freshen things up - I've got the squad to do that," he added.

"Dave Gilroy looked sharp on Wednesday, Nathan Davies is not far away and Takumi Ake returns on Wednesday.

"It's great that they're all on the way back because we'll need them with the fixture pile-up over the next few months. We'll need a lot of dedication and a little bit of luck but we know we can finish the job."

New signing Chris Todd is fit and available to make his debut for Holdsworth's side.

St Albans duo James Quilter and Adam Everitt could be thrust straight into the fray on Saturday despite needing to undergo operations on their respective injuries.

Quilter is nursing a serious knee problem, while Everitt is continuing to play despite a hernia injury.

Meanwhile, mid-table Welling play host to fourth-placed Thurrock at Park View Road and fifth-placed Woking entertain fellow play-off hopefuls Dover Athletic at Kingfield Stadium.

Relegation-threatened Worcester City will be keen to distance themselves from the relegation zone with a victory over rock-bottom Weymouth at St George's Lane.

Saturday's Blue Square South Fixtures:

Bath City v Bishop's Stortford, 15:00

Chelmsford v Basingstoke, 15:00

Dorchester v Staines Town, 15:00

Hampton & Richmond v Bromley, 15:00

Havant and W v Braintree Town, 15:00

Lewes v Weston-S-Mare, 15:00

Maidenhead Utd v Eastleigh, 15:00

Newport County v St Albans, 15:00

Welling v Thurrock, 15:00

Woking v Dover, 15:00

Worcester v Weymouth, 15:00