‘THIS is our season now, if we win on Saturday we can extend it another week.’

Wootton Bassett vice-captain Tim Gallimore’s summation of his side’s weekend blockbuster with Aylesbury illustrated just how much the Southern Counties North clash means to both sides.

With Swindon only just within touching distance of Bassett at the top of the division, back-to-back wins are essential for the Stoneover Lane outfit as they aim to keep pace with their local rivals ahead of the potentially season-defining final fixture of the term between the two at Greenbridge Road.

Before that showdown, however, comes the small matter of second against third, with Aylesbury battling to usurp the men in black to the division’s runners-up spot.

And for all the cliched predictability of tomorrow’s fixture being rebranded as a ‘cup final’, Gallimore is adamant it is exactly that.

“This is what it is all coming down to now,” he said.

“It has become a cup final game for us because this is our season now. If we win on Saturday we can extend it another week.

“It’s been a long hard slog and now we’re just got to make sure we give one last push to get through to the finish.

“This weekend takes on a lot of importance. People keep mentioning the Swindon game but we have our focus on Aylesbury and only Aylesbury.”

The last time the two sides met, on the campaign’s opening afternoon, Bassett enjoyed a marginal 12-10 victory.

But Gallimore was quick to point out how far both teams have developed since then and the back rower, who is currently recovering from a broken jaw, insisted the standard of rugby on display tomorrow is likely to be several times better than what was on offer in September.

“Both sides were rusty, it wasn’t a particularly good game of rugby and things have changed now,” he said.

“You can tell by their results that they have a good side and it will be a tough game. We don’t know much about them so we are going in blind and we’ll just look to play our own rugby.”

Gallimore is one of four first-choice back row men out for Bassett, who are at full strength throughout the rest of the side.

While missing an entire forward unit is far from ideal, the vice-captain was unwilling to use the absences as an excuse. And he preferred to look forward to a critical moment in his side’s season.

“When it gets late into the season like this injuries play a big part,” he said.

“We don’t have any injuries elsewhere, so we have no more than any other club.

“It is just unfortunate they are all in once place.

“Everyone is looking forward to the game with nervous excitement. It’s a massive day for us.”

Elsewhere in Southern Counties North, Swindon visit Tadley while, in the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier, Swindon College Old Boys travel to Gosford All Blacks as they look to wrap up fourth spot in the league table.