FAIRFORD Town manager Jody Bevan is hoping a win over Reading City in the Hellenic League Premier on Saturday will be the catalyst for a promotion charge.

The Cinder Lane outfit is in third place currently but need to secure second to stand any chance of progressing to step four of the non-league ladder.

The four teams with the highest number of points out of the 11 southern step five divisions will be promoted directly.

The remaining seven will each play a single away play-off game against a step four bottom placed team for possible promotion.

Fairford are six points behind second-place Binfield having played a game more, but manager Bevan said his team can only focus on what they can control during their final cluster of fixtures.

He said: “The first game against Reading was at a time where we were absolutely flying back in October.

“I think we went 1-0 down in that game and then came back to win 3-1, and we put on a really good performance that day.

“Hopefully this game will be the start of a good run of form again, we can start putting some points back on the board and we can keep ourselves in the mix for the title.

“Reading are a bit of a funny side really – they started the season well but then they slipped off a bit in their form.

“But they’re still capable of picking up results and they’re a very dangerous side, certainly.”

With another fortnight break between games, the Fairford boss has been able to carefully go through what must be improved on with his team.

And Bevan believes that a return to goalscoring form will propel Town up into second and arrest a run of form that has seen them win just twice in their five games since the turn of the year.

Bevan said: “I never really focus on the opposition though, I prefer to focus on us.

“Our last game against Westfields – alright, we lost 2-0 on the day, but there’s no shame in losing to them in what was a very close game.

“If we can replicate that performance this weekend then we’ll be ok.

“The one thing we didn’t do and will need to do better on Saturday is take our chances.

“If we can be a bit more clinical and limit them to a few chances as possible, then we’ll be just fine.”

Elsewhere, Royal Wootton Bassett Town will hope to respond to their 3-1 defeat away at Windsor in midweek when taking on Ardley United at home.

Meanwhile, Shrivenham host Binfield.