CHIPPENHAM Town manager Steve White believes his squad is capable of a top five finish as they prepare to kick off their Southern League Premier Division campaign at Dunstable on Saturday.

After a summer of budget slashing, wage cuts and wheeling and dealing, White is set to finalise his 18-man squad tonight and says it is as good as the cash-strapped club can hope for.

"We've had a difficult summer but we are a close-knit squad now because of what we've all been through with wage cuts and so on.

"I'm confident we can get a top five finish and with this squad I believe we can hold our own in this division.''

Tonight he will sit down and tell the trialists who have been with the club during the summer who is being kept on.

White's plans hinge on bringing in wide midfielder Ben Kirk from Bridgwater but first he must overcome the hurdle of a contract option held on him by his club. Bridgwater want a four figure sum from Chippenham for him.

White said: "We are talking to the club and are hoping to do a deal before Saturday. There is no way we can pay what they are asking but we are trying to come to an agreement.

"They have asked for 50 per cent of any selling on fee and we have agreed to that and we have offered to take a team there for a pre-season friendly next year.

"I'm hoping we can sort it out. He's a good lad who offers us something different from midfield. He scored 15 goals last season and has done really well for us pre-season.''

The question mark over Kirk's arrival could have a bearing on whether or not Jamie Bradford is signed from Inter Cardiff. The club needed international clearance to sign him because he played in Wales last season.

Nigerian Joe O'Chuko will be retained for the season but midfielder Matt Hill may find himself out in the cold.

An ankle injury to goalkeeper Chris Giangelo in the friendly defeat at Paulton Rovers on Saturday, which could rule him out for two weeks, means White will delay a decision over taking on him or Chris Astley as cover for Mark Hervin.

Said White: "We can run with three goalkeepers for the time being, as long as the finances allow it.''

This week has been a busy one on the training field after White was left fuming at Saturday's defensive failures at Paulton.

Chippenham led 3-2 until two late goals by 37-year-old Ian Hedges turned the game on its head.

It was not the defeat that led the manager to lambast his players on the final whistle but the fact they conceded three identical goals, all from long free kicks into the penalty area.

"They were carbon copies and I'm not pleased that a 37-year-old was able to run in the the back stick unmarked, not once but twice,'' he said.

"They thought they had the game won but they switched off and were punished. In some ways it was a good smack on the bottom for us after winning three games on the trot.

"This week we have been able to work on defending these situations. I've been talking to people about concentration and taking responsibility.''

White will be expecting his side to produce a solid defensive display in their opening game but is toying with the option of playing all three of his strikers.

"The important thing is to start off solid and if we can do that we'll see how things develop,'' he said.

Chippenham Mayor Ross Henning will open the club's new sponsors lounge before the home game against Solihull Borough on Tuesday night.