CHIPPENHAM Town may be rooted to the bottom of the Dr Martens Premier Division but a win on Saturday could taker them to within a couple of victories of their mid-table hosts, Eastbourne Borough.

The Sussex-side are well in with a chance of a chance of making the promotion play-offs for the new Conference set-up.

They are lodged comfortably in their mid-table berth, having won seven, drawn seven and lost nine of their matches so far this season.

The two sides went head to head at Hardenhuish Park back in October when Eastbourne took the three points with a late sucker-punch goal that denied Chippenham a deserved share of the points.

The Bluebirds had the better of the first half and with a little more luck and composure would have taken the lead.

Eastbourne goalkeeper Lee Hook made a superb double save on 15 minutes when he blocked Tom Gould's downward header and then deflected Martin Paul's point-blank shot wide.

Gould and Nathan Edwards then set up Charlie Griffin who drilled a first-time shot into the side netting.

After the restart Griffin lobbed the ball onto the roof of the net and then toe-poked a close range effort at the goalkeeper.

But Borough held out and with 88 minutes on the clock Chippenham were rocked when the visitors notched an unexpected winner.

A loose ball fell to substitute John Westcott and he had space on the right wing to put over a measured cross that Scott Ramsay headed home.

Among Eastbourne's players to watch on Saturday is 31-year-old midfielder Daren Pearce.

He signed for Borough in July 1999 and his previous clubs include Littlehampton Town, Bognor Regis Town and Colchester United.

A vastly experienced player Pearce is Eastbourne's club captain and joined the club from Sussex County League side East Preston.

He has been an ever present in the Borough line-up making 15 appearances and scoring three goals.

He scored 15 goals last season, several of which came from the penalty spot. This season he has already made 30 appearances and has three goals to his name so far.

The Bluebirds' defence will also have to keep a close eye on Hardenhuish match winner Scott Ramsay.

The 23-year-old Hastings-born forward joined the club in July 2002.

He has previously played for local sides Dover Athletic, Bognor Regis Town and Brighton and Hove Albion.

He scored 38 goals in 54 appearances last year and attracted interest from Nationwide Second Division Brentford but the club decided not to make an approach for him.

He is currently the side's leading scorer and has bagged 15 goals in only 28 games for Borough.

Elsewhere the club has signed 19-year-old striker Ian Pulman on a month's loan from Conference side Margate.

Pulman joined Margate at the beginning of this season from Gillingham and was previously a trainee at Chelsea for two seasons.

Fellow loan signing Steve Causon has now returned to Crawley Town.