Royal Wootton Bassett and Highworth Town gear up for derby showdown

The two Hellenic League Premier Division sides are currently separated by 10 points, with Rich Hunter’s Bassett in eighth, while Jeff Roberts’ Worthians are fifth.

The home team will go into this festive derby clash well-rested as their last game was a 2-0 win over Lydney Town in the Hellenic Floodlit Cup on December 14.

Meanwhile, Roberts’ side were last in action on Tuesday night as they bowed out of the Floodlit Cup following a 2-0 defeat at Bicester Town.

Hunter, whose first game in charge of Bassett was in a 3-3 draw against Highworth on August Bank Holiday Monday, believes the rest for his players could be both a blessing and a curse.

“The players will certainly be fully rested. The break has given a few niggles an extra couple of days to recover,” said Hunter. “The lack of competitive football means the sharpness goes, but the fitness should still be there.

“No matter how much training you do, you can never recreate the competitive situation you get in matches.

“We’ll just take it as any other league game. The players know the importance of Highworth as a local derby.

“They’ve had a good run of things recently but so have we, so we’re both going into the game high in form and full of confidence.

“We see it as a winnable game but we know we need to be at our best to win it.”

Highworth manager Roberts was slightly more confident ahead of the fixture, which could see his side move up to third if results go in their favour.

“Between Highworth and Bassett, it has always been quite competitive. We look to win every game,” he said.

“We are both on good runs. The playing surface there will suit us a lot better with the squad we have got.

“We have been playing really well. We are shutting sides down and playing quickly, so we are looking very lively.

“It has come at a good time. The work-rate is far superior, especially off of the ball which is good.

“I think they’ll be more worried about us than we are about them.”