MELKSHAM Town boss Darren Perrin is determined to take advantage of a friendly fixture list to reinforce his side’s Toolstation League Premier Division credentials this weekend.

The Oakfields side, who are currently fourth, are guaranteed to gain ground on their rivals with victory over Shepton Mallet on Saturday, with the top two of Bristol Manor Farm and Street facing each other in the league and third-placed Buckland Athletic in FA Vase action.

Melksham have applied to move up to the Southern League next season and a top-two finish would almost certainly rubber-stamp their ticket to the next level.

But Mallet have already hit Town’s hopes once this season - their 3-1 triumph at the start of October one of only two league reverses Perrin’s men have suffered this season - and the manager is determined to take care of business this weekend.

Melksham are in decent nick, whacking Clevedon 6-0 at Oakfields last weekend but Perrin said: “It was just nice to get the victory and now we move on to Shepton Mallet, who we lost 3-1 to earlier in the season – I haven’t forgotten that.

“If we win on Saturday, we are going to gain points because first play second-place this week, so it is a great opportunity for us, providing we get our own house in order.

“But we are under no illusions that on their day, Shepton Mallet are a very good side.

“We can’t influence what goes on elsewhere.

“You’ve got to give credit to Street, Bristol Manor Farm and Buckland Athletic because we have been relentless, but so have they.

“All we can do is worry about ourselves and then we will be in a position to capitalise when teams drop points.”

Perrin’s men were handed an early advantage when Clevedon had Glen Hayer sent off on 26 minutes, strikers Sam Jordan and Gary Higdon scoring twice and Mike Perrott and Joe Stradling also finding the net as they bounced back from the previous Tuesday’s 3-3 draw with Wells City.