SAM Collier is expected to run out for his final game as a Wootton Bassett Town player against Tytherington Rocks tonight, but that doesn’t mean fans at Rylands Way have seen the last of him in a blue and yellow shirt.

Collier’s switch to Southern League Abingdon Town is almost finalised, and the striker may well formally join the Oxfordshire club before the weekend, but Bassett manager Dave Turner is hopeful of having him back on occasion in the near future.

“It’s a big loss but we don’t make a habit of standing in the way of players when the chance comes for them at a higher level,” said Turner.

“It happened with Alex Green when he went to Thatcham last season and I wish him all the best.

“I’m hoping that it won’t be the last we see of him, though. We’re looking at maybe having him back to guest for us at some point.”

Bassett are sweating on the fitness of Nathan Delaney for the visit of high-flying Rocks. Delaney is suffering from a rib injury, but otherwise Turner has a full complement of players to choose from.

Elsewhere, Malmesbury Vics are playing without the burden of expectation, and manager Simon Winstone believes that is a key ingredient in their flying start to the new term.

Winstone leads his players into battle for the third time against Old Woodstock Town tonight, fully aware of the scale of the task at hand against a side who were plying their trade in the Hellenic Premier last season.

But the Vics boss insists his players are not fazed by the nature of the fixture or their lofty position, and are instead revelling in the pressure-off atmosphere at the Flying Monk.

“In some ways we’ve gone out and won the first two games and we weren’t expecting to,” said Winstone.

“I think you’ll find with a lot of players, if the pressure’s off they perform to a higher level.

“At the moment we don’t have the pressure of the chairman saying what we need to be doing and I think that’s telling with our results.

“We know Woodstock will be tough but it is a tough league and every game will be like that.”

Malmesbury will make six changes for the clash this evening, including a change of goalkeeper after Mike Alexander moved to Devizes in midweek.

Joe Neil comes in between the sticks for Winstone’s men in his place, and the manager has the utmost faith in his new number one stopper.

“Joe is a good keeper and it was very hard before to decide who was going to start in goal,” said Winstone.

“He’ll have no problems fitting in.”

Winstone will hand debuts to Chippenham loanee Jordan Mathews and 17-year-old Matty Fuscoe while Christian Hext is expected to start in place of the absent Clint Walker.

Highworth boss Dave Webb makes one change for their Premier Division trip to Ardley bringing in goalkeeper Charles Steward for Adam Miller.

Shrivenham boss John Fisher has Lewis Page back from holiday and available for selection for his side’s home clash with Slimbridge.

Elsewhere, Purton travel to Trowbridge in Division One West.