DESCRIBING Saturday's Chippenham Town versus Bath City league derby clash as a crunch game is an understatement.

Not only is local pride at stake but both teams are sprinkled with ex-players and there is also the small matter of promotion play-off places to play for.

Bath are currently languishing in 20th place in the Dr Martens Premier Division having won nine and draw ten of their 36 games this season.

They trail 16th placed Chippenham, who have also played 36 games, by four points.

With the positions from 14th to 18th carrying promotion play-off places wins at this stage of the season are vital for both teams.

Bath manager Gary Owers has been busy preparing his side for the short trip to Hardenhuish Park and has been juggling with a few selection options.

Owers himself should feature in midfield while former Chippenham favourite Steve Tweddle may appear on his old stomping ground.

Tweddle was expected to be ruled out for the rest of the season with an achilles injury but he returned to the Bath first team last weekend after making a speedy recovery.

He is currently Bath's joint top goal scorer alongside fellow striker Scott Partridge. The pair both have seven goals to their name so far.

Midfield playmaker Russell Milton is touch and go for Saturday having made a recent comeback in the reserves after suffering knee ligament damage in January.

Bath received a boost after goalkeeper Paul Evans groin injury was found to be not as serious as was first feared and he is also in contention for Saturday.

This week Owers was to beat the transfer deadline and take left-winger Jamie Cook back to Twerton Park for a second spell after his loan deal from Stevenage Borough recently expired.

Last weekend Bath entertained Dorchester in another vital basement battle but the two sides could not break the deadlock and drew 0-0.

The main talking point of the game was the sending off of Bath skipper Steve Jones and Dorchester's Justin Keeler following an off the ball scuffle near the end.

Despite the dismissal Jones will be available for the derby clash with Chippenham on Saturday.

In the reverse fixture at Twerton Park earlier this season Bath and Chippenham shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw in front of 1,133 supporters.

Half chances came and went in the first half but the action livened up in the second half. On 47 minutes Andy Robertson handled in the area and Tweddle stepped up to send Mark Hervin the wrong way from the spot.

Chippenham hunted an equaliser and got it with 15 minutes left when Martin Paul rifled home a Mark Harrington cross. Within seconds Drew Shore drilled home a wonderful 25-yard effort to put Bath back in front.

But Chippenham had the last word when substitute Dave Bright headed in Scott Walker's stoppage time corner kick. In the corresponding fixture last season a Charlie Griffin goal was not enough as the Bluebirds lost 2-1 in front of a crowd of 1,906 at Hardenhuish.

Chippenham currently have a large contingent of former Bath players in their squad who will be keen to put one over on their old club. They include Mark Hervin, Colin Towler, Tom Gould, Mark Badman, Ellis Wilmot and Martin Paul.