HIGHWORTH Town manager Jeff Roberts wants his players to open up a 10-point gap at the top of the Hellenic League Premier Division table.

As the Worthians get set to welcome Longlevens to The Elms this evening, Roberts is hoping that the effect of 10 points lead over their nearest rivals Bracknell Town will hand them a psychological advantage.

Highworth stretched their lead at the summit to seven points on Saturday as they put seven on Oxford City Nomads without reply, while Bracknell and Thatcham Town were in Hellenic League Challenge Cup action.

And tonight’s match against the Gloucester-based side is the Worthians game in hand on Bracknell.

“It (the 10-point lead) would give us some breathing space,” Roberts said.

“With a lead of 10 points it means it is all about us. Bracknell still have to play us twice and if we beat them the gap gets even bigger.”

While Longlevens will arrive in Wiltshire on the back of a 2-1 Challenge Cup defeat to Thatcham, Roberts insists that he will not take James French’s men lightly.

The Sawmills side sit 12th in the Premier Division table having only lost three of their eight matches on the road.

“I thought that we played really well down there earlier in the season (Highworth won 6-1 at Longlevens in September),” Roberts added.

“This time we are at home and I’m expecting a typical well organised Gloucestershire side to turn up and try and cause an upset.

“We have to be ready for that, we have to at least match their work-rate and with the quality that we have in the side we should be okay.”

Roberts also said that there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes to see that should the club be in the position to take promotion to the Southern League that can do it.

Any clubs wishing to gain promotion to the Southern League at the end of this season, and have a ground grade of F, will have until March 31, 2019 to get their ground grade up to standard, however, they must bring the facilities up to a D grade standard.

“I think this year, if you win your league then you have to take promotion,” Roberts said.

“We spoke with the committee over the summer about looking to become a Southern League club and they are doing so much work behind the scenes to help make it happen.

“Highworth have always been a very good Hellenic League club – hopefully we can become a Southern League club and take it to the next level.”

Meanwhile, Royal Wootton Bassett Town will be eager to get back to winning ways when they welcome Wiltshire League side Trowbridge Town to the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground in the second round of the Wiltshire Senior Cup tonight.