MELKSHAM Town manager Nigel Tripp is hoping to persuade Jason Lunt to turn down Trowbridge Town's overtures and remain at the Conigre.

The veteran centre back has been the subject of seven days' notice of approach from the Hellenic League side after being on the fringes of Melksham's first team.

Despite struggling to cement a regular starting place, Tripp insists Lunt is still important to his plans and has given him until after the weekend to make his decision.

Tripp said: "Jason will be playing for a very strong reserve side tomorrow against Warminster. I had a chat with him at training on Tuesday night and told him I wanted him to stay so it is now up to him to decide what he wants.

"He is an influential figure and his time at Melksham will definitely come again but I can understand that he wants to be playing first team football."

Melksham have no game tomorrow so Tripp will be using the reserve game at Warminster to give some of his first team players a run out.

He said: "Most of my first team players will play because it is important that we carry on where we have left off in recent weeks. Although we lost against Corsham we have been playing well and I don't want that to be disrupted by the enforced break."