JUSTIN Webster is hopeful his side can give the promotion aspirations of third-placed Cribbs a thorough examination this weekend.

Devizes returned to winning ways after back-to-back league and cup defeats to Bradford Town and Highworth Town respectively as Jack Fisher’s first-half strike proved the difference against bottom-of-the-table Portishead last weekend.

Co-boss Webster was the first to admit hie side hadn’t played particularly well, suggesting they had under-estimated the challenge of the strugglers, but the narrow victory and clean sheet were more than ample compensation.

“They (Portishead) were better than I thought and we were a bit below par,’’ he said.

“I think we turned up thinking we were going to win a bit, but 1-0 is always a nice score, especially with the clean sheet.

“I think it’s the third time we’ve won by a single goal at our ground this season and although it wasn’t a good game, we’re pleased with any win.’’

Cribbs visit on Saturday before a run of three away games and Webster added: “We played them earlier on this season (Town’s first defeat, in late August), but when you look at it, their results have been quite mixed.

“If we won our games in hand we’d be quite close to them and we’ve done quite well at home this season.

“Only Bradford and Shepton Mallet, who are first and second, have beaten us.’’

Captain Dan Sloan is away this weekend, but Neil Clark should return after being on bench duty against Portishead and Ryan Rawlins also comes back into contention.

Dave Ferris admitted his Chippenham Park side got the bit of luck they had previously been missing as they ended their four-match run without a win with a 2-1 success at Wincanton last Saturday.

Mark Robinson scored twice in the second half after Matt Chant had given the home side the lead.

The visitors also rode out a late Wincanton storm, including a golden squandered opportunity to equalise.

Ferris, who had centre-half Dan Price in goal for the game, said: “The way our luck has gone, when we went behind you could have been forgiven for thinking the lads heads would have gone down.

“But they battle back and there was a bit of a siege mentality at the end and we probably had the bit of luck we’ve been missing.’’

Gareth Davies savoured Malmesbury Vics’ first win in three months as they came from a goal down to beat Letcombe in Hellenic Division One West.

Lewis Waldon, player-manager Davies himself and Ryan Welland helped turn it around despite a late Letcombe second and Davies said: “To say I’m over the moon would be an understatement, it’s a massive relief because it was a game we had to win.” .

“It’s been a long time since we won although we’ve been playing well lately and I thought we deserved it on Saturday.

“I think 3-2 flattered Letcombe a bit but at the end of the day, three points is three points.

“It would have been a massive blow if we had lost it. It might have put us in a bit of trouble.

“I told the players to enjoy the feeling of winning and now they know how hard they have to work to win, so hopefully they will take that on board.”

Darren Perrin hopes four points from back-to-back Conigre appointments with Longwell Green Sports on Saturday and Winterbourne United on Monday will ensure he can revise Melksham Town's targets for this season in the Toolstation Premier.

After not winning any of their first seven games, a run which heralded the departure of Dave Clayton and arrival of Perrin, Town have won six of their last 10 in the league.

Goals from Gary Higdon (penalty) Shaun Benison and a Will Stead screamer sealed last weekend’s 3-1 victory at Bishop Sutton and Perrin said: “The league table certainly looks a bit healthier than it did six or seven weeks ago.

“If we could get at least four points from the next two games I’d like to think we wouldn’t be looking a a relegation battle, which was obviously the remit when I arrived.

“We would have to start thinking about revising our targets for the season.
Perrin has a seven-day approach in for Frome Town’s Dean Flockton.

Matt Cooper and Tom Stocks are suspended for Saturday’s game, but available for Monday.

Lewis Taylor expects Pewsey Vale's lengthy unbeaten league run to come under scrutiny during Saturday’s league trip to East Cowes Victoria (2pm).

Vale, who have not been beaten in the league since August, will be without four players for the difficult away fixture.

Adam Field is injured, while Jack Hopper, Ryan Banks and Tom Ritchie will all be serving suspensions after picking up five yellow cards.

Victoria are the only team to lower the colours of Taylor’s men so far this season – that defeat coming in the first league match.

Taylor said: “This weekend will be a challenge because we’ve got four players missing – and key players at that.

Second-half goals from substitute Ryan Bragg and captain Banks wrapped up victory over Andover New Street last weekend, pewsey going on to thrash New College 8-1 in the second round of the Wiltshire Senior Cup in midweek.

Taylor added: “We were probably always the dominant team, but we missed a hatful of chances before we scored.’’

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