‘Opponents are desperate to defeat us’

YEOVIL Town boss Mark Cooper is refusing to press the panic button as the Glovers falter within sight of the finishing line in the National League South, writes Keith Watson.

Having previously enjoyed a buffer well into double figures at the top of the table, the Green & Whites have seen their advantage cut to seven points amid a fourgame winless run.

Four victories from their final seven matches will still be good enough to seal promotion and the title – and the reality is they may not need that much – but a trip to third-placed Braintree today is probably not what most Glovers fans would want right now.

Cooper, pictured, remains in a positive frame of mind, however.

He said: “From our side, we have seven games left and we know what we have to do.

“Every week, it is like they are playing against a super-human effort because the opposition are desperate to beat us. That desire to beat Yeovil is huge and I would be the same if I were a player, but we have to deal with it.

“The supporters understand that and we must make sure the players and fans keep that tremendous bond and trust together, that is what will keep us going.”

Yeovil will be hoping for a favour from Somerset neighbours Taunton, who host second-placed Chelmsford this afternoon.

Taunton are in desperate need of points themselves given their position just two points above the sixth-tier drop zone.

Bath City, meanwhile, need a good result to get back into the play-off places and head to fellow promotion-hopefuls Worthing tomorrow – a game that is being broadcast by TNT Sports.

“It’s going to go right to the wire,” said Bath boss Jerry Gill. “There will be times we’ll drop out of the play-offs, we know that. We won’t feel sorry for ourselves.”

Chippenham host Welling, while Weston-super-Mare head over to Maidstone.

In the National League North, Gloucester City remain 11 points from safety despite two wins in their last four matches. Today they head to play-off chasing Spennymoor – the most in-form team in the division.

Hereford will bid to get back in the play-off picture when they host struggling Farsley.