SQUEAKY bum-time may be just around the corner but Mark Collier is imploring his Chippenham Town troops to savour every moment of their tense promotion run-in.

Collier’s men remain second in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division table, a point behind table-toppers Poole Town with a game in hand, and two points ahead of Redditch United, who have three matches in hand on the Bluebirds.

After seeing off Stratford Town 2-1 last weekend before losing 2-0 at Merthyr Town on Tuesday night, Chippenham have won three and lost three of their last six games.

The Bluebirds have 10 matches remaining, four of which are against teams currently in the top half of the table – that includes clashes with play-off rivals Hitchin Town and Redditch United – but the Hardenhuish Park chief wants his charges to enjoy the tension of the season’s home straight, rather than be encumbered by it.

“Fighting for points when you’re in the bottom four or five isn’t enjoyable but when you’re at the other end of the table, it is,” said Collier.

“Teams will draw and lose games and they’ve got to play each other too, so there’s plenty that’s going to happen in the last 10 games of the season.

“It’s not that long ago that we were 14 points behind Poole. The players have got to enjoy this situation because it may not come around again in your career.

“We’re going to lose more games between now and the end of the season and all we can do is try to pick up as many points as we can to try and get us in the play-offs.

“We’ve always got to try and win games and that’s the case when you play for Chippenham Town, whatever position you are in the table.

“I don’t think that we’ll really see how things are shaping up until April but March is a huge month for the top teams.

“There are no gimmes in this division – that’s an absolute fact. Every team has good forwards and you have to be on your game to win matches.”

Chippenham are set to check on the fitness of three players ahead of Saturday’s long trip to Cambridge City.

Top-scorer Andy Sandell missed Tuesday’s trip to Merthyr with a tight hamstring whilst captain Greg Tindle picked up a knee problem and midfielder Chris Allen was withdrawn due to sickness.

Striker Alan Griffin was also rested for the Bluebirds’ loss in South Wales.