DIVISION THREE PREVIEW: Bottom two clash at Bratton (From Wiltshire Times)

Div Three

DIVISION THREE PREVIEW: Bottom two clash at Bratton

3:22pm Thursday 28th January 2010

HAVING lost a relegation four-pointer against White Horse last weekend, basement side Eastlands will hope for better luck this Sunday when they travel to Bratton to face Trowbridge Town Supporters Club.

Town are in the bottom two along with their Melksham-based guests and this must-win game for both should prove a pulsating contest.

The supporters have already beaten Eastlands this season, but since their 4-1 victory back in November, they have only played two games.

One saw them beat Southwick 4-2 and the other at the end of December ended in a 5-1 loss at Corsham United.

If Eastlands, who have just 10 matches to play, are to beat the drop to Division Four they can’t afford many more defeats.

But having picked up just one point from their last nine matches the outlook doesn’t look good and against the supporters’ club they are unlikely to get anything.

Blue Circle (Sunday) v Pack Horse Rangers

PACK Horse Rangers will be hoping that they can start their game against Steve Martin’s Blue Circle (Sunday) side as they finished last week's against Steeple Ashton Rangers, when they produced a stunning all-round team performance to claim a 6-3 victory.

Horse travel to Westbury having claimed back to back wins over Eastlands and Ashton.

And as they defeated the Cement boys 3-1 on the opening day of the season when goals from Simon Reid and Carl Britton, who scored twice got them off to a winning start, they will be confident that they can make it three wins on the bounce

British Lion FC v North Star B

THE match that takes top billing in the division is the one at Beaversbrook Sports Facility, Calne, where North Star B are set for their first meeting of the season with British Lion who presently occupy the number one spot with a three-point advantage over FC Jager and four-point lead over North Star.

Star have won their last six games and will start as favorites to beat Danny Thompson’s British Lion, who have picked up just one point from their last two games and go into the match on the back of a 4-1 loss against The Crown FC.

Having said that the Lion have a 100 per cent away record having won all their five matches on the road so they have every chance of upsetting the form book.

North Star took the honours last term by taking three of the four points that were up for grabs and this game should be just as entertaining as the two last season that ended 2-2 and 3-1 to the Star.

The result is likely to be another close one and could end up with the points being shared but if there is to be a winner then the home team should just edge it.

Southwick Wanderers v White Horse FC

CLIVE Black will take his White Horse side to Southwick Wanderers this Sunday knowing that a victory for his Westbury-based side will probably be good enough for them to have another season in the division.

White Horse ended a seven-match winless run with a 2-0 victory at Eastlands last weekend while their hosts suffered a 6-1 defeat at home to FC Jager.

So on paper White Horse should have a good chance of picking up another important win.

White Horse may not have the best away record and have picked up just three points from their travels in their last five games away from home.

But they have a chance of returning home with a victory as Wanderers home form is just as bad and they have won just two of seven matches on home soil.

The Crown FC v Corsham United

FOLLOWING recent victories over first division AFC Calne in the quarter-finals of the Knockout Cup and last week's win at Leaders and local rivals British Lion, Tom Perkins and his Crown FC side will be confident that they will continue their purple patch when they host Corsham United.

Both sides are currently in the bottom half of the table and have eight points to their name.

But that is where the similarity stops as The Crown have played on seven matches to the 14 played by their guests.

With games in hand on all the sides above them in the table it shouldn’t be long before they reach their true potential and start climbing up the rankings.

The Crown won the previous meeting of the teams 8-1, but prior to that Corsham claimed a 3-2 win.

Bbut that was last term and the Crown should record a convincing victory.