DEVIZES Town manager Dave Hopkins says he is not feeling the pressure despite watching his side lose five matches in a row.

The Nursteed Road club's promising early season form has wilted and two defeats in four days this week has seen them drop into the bottom three.

They face a crunch game away at second from bottom Elmore on Saturday for a classic relegation six-pointer.

Player-boss Hopkins said he is keeping things in perspective and is backing his players to pull the team away from trouble. "The biggest thing for me is I am very frustrated,'' he said. "I am playing as well as managing the team so I have got two things to think about.

"This is our worst run all season, losing five on bounce, and the longer it goes on the harder it will get.

"But I am still getting Devizes people watching the games coming up to me and saying we were unlucky.

"It's nice to have their support but unfortunately it doesn't give you the three points."

Hopkins said the main thing that pleased him was the continued support of his players.

"It is not a case of last season when people were leaving the club," he added. "Everyone wants to stay and fight for the cause.

"You have got to make your own luck in this league and if we pull tight I'm still confident that we can bounce back from the last five games. Our luck has got to change."

Hopkins feels encouraged by the showing his team gave at home to second-placed Brislington on Tuesday evening. But he called on fans to remember that he is managing the team with a significant disadvantage to his opposite numbers at rival clubs.

"Despite the result Tuesday night was very encouraging and I felt we defended much better," Hopkins continued.

"But I am always restricted as to who I can play with a such a small squad. The same players aren't playing week in week out and we are having to change things around.

"Financially the club is getting better but we are still in the situation where we are not paying players.

"Managers before me have had playing budgets but I'm running the side on nothing. The positive thing is the players are playing for me and everyone is continuing to work hard on the pitch and in training."

Hopkins knows Saturday's game is vital. He said: "If we can beat Elmore away I am pretty sure we can stay in the league. The biggest thing for me, and what we aimed for at the start of the season, was to stay up.''

Devizes are set to be boosted for the trip to Elmore with the return of Nathan Perkins from illness while Justin Lisle will be available after returning from university.