VICTORY at Mangotsfield on Satur-day will lift Evesham United back to the top of the Southern League Division One West table, writes Mervyn Collins.

The Bristol side have held the upper hand over the Robins for the past couple of seasons including a 2-1 win at Common Road last November when the red card received by Wesley Joyce was crucial in the final count.

"We were the better side that day and should really have wrapped up the win before half-time," United boss Dave Busst recalled.

They've brought in a couple of new faces recently but we'll be both going out to win the game and I would much rather be playing one of our rivals at the top than a side that packs their defence and relies on breakaways."

The United manager is well aware that his side isn't firing on all cylinders at present but he isn't pressing the panic button just yet.

"I have told the players that their performances will determine whether they get a place in the side and I will probably be releasing a couple this week," Busst added.

"We've just got to keep digging in. We certainly didn't improve on our recent displays last Saturday. We couldn't string two passes together and we were lucky to get the points. Certain players showed a lack discipline and Jermaine (Clarke) was lucky to stay on the pith. He said he was punched first but he shouldn't have reacted the way he did.

"I feared the worst when we went down to ten men but we then took the game to them, banged the ball forward and Jermaine was a different player after he had been hit."

Busst and his assistant Paul West will sit down later this week and assess the make-up of a side that could show several changes to the one that disappointed against Bracknell.

Danny Williams has impressed on his last couple of appearances when called off the bench and he could be pushing the out of sorts Leon Blake for a starting spot.

Busst is also hoping that Lee Knight, Neil O'Sullivan and Gavin O'Toole will be available for selection after illness and injury left the trio on the sidelines last weekend.

Like Evesham, Mangotsfield have also shown indifferent form recently especially in matches against lowly opponents with a 2-1 defeat at Bedworth and a 4-2 home reverse against Burnham.

Both those setbacks were compensated for fully in the return matches including last Saturday's 3-0 success at Burnham.

Busst returns to his former stamping ground next Wednesday night when Evesham visit Solihull Borough in the third round of the League Cup (7.45pm).

Andy Smith will also be relishing the chance to put one over on his old club currently riding high while the Damson Park side are currently languishing at the foot of the Premier Division.

Southern League Division One West

P W D L F A Pts

Mangotsfield 25 14 5 6 53 35 47

Evesham Utd 25 13 7 5 39 20 46

Yate Town 23 13 4 6 47 23 43

Clevedon 24 14 1 9 49 31 43

Rothwell 23 12 5 6 37 27 41

Brackley 24 11 7 6 42 27 40

Bromsgrove 22 11 7 4 36 23 40

Taunton 23 10 6 7 41 37 36

Paulton 23 10 5 8 36 33 35

Marlow 24 8 9 7 42 40 33

Corby Tn 24 8 7 9 30 38 31

Stourport 24 9 3 12 38 35 30

Ashford 20 8 5 7 28 24 29

Thame Utd 21 8 4 9 25 30 28

Cinderford 21 8 3 10 29 33 27

Burnham 24 8 3 13 37 45 27

Oxford City 24 7 5 12 30 40 26

Swindon S 24 5 9 10 23 34 24

Bedworth 24 6 6 12 22 39 24

Bracknell 25 6 4 15 30 52 22

Sutton Cold* 24 9 4 11 27 38 20

Egham 19 1 3 15 12 49 6

*Points deducted.