AFTER A 6-0 FA Vase loss at Gosport Borough last Saturday and a shock 1-0 defeat to local rivals Wootton Bassett in midweek, Highworth boss John Fisher admitted: "I've had better weeks."

The mid-season blip is in stark contrast to the way in which the Swindon side started the campaign.

But their club record run of 12 successive victories in the autumn is starting to feel like a distant memory.

Despite the sudden dip in form, Fisher has resisted the urge to wield the axe.

"Every club has a blip, now we have to get through ours as quickly as possible.

"The past two performances have been poor but the same lads are playing now that were playing at the start of the season and you do not become a bad player overnight."

Fisher takes his troops to in-form Brackley tomorrow.

The surprise package in the Premier Division occupy second, level on points with leaders Slimbridge but with three games in hand after a nine-match unbeaten run.

Highworth are at full strength and forwards Matty Saye and Pete Macklin are in line for a recall after missing the Bassett defeat.

Meanwhile, buoyed by their industrious win on Tuesday, Bassett travel to champions North Leigh looking for another upset to put further distance between themselves and the bottom four.

Manager Pete Yeardley said: "It will be another difficult game.

"We've got a good home record against North Leigh but have had poor results away so we'll be looking to reverse that trend."

Yeardley's son Steve is unavailable as he is playing tennis for the county.

Fairford also enjoyed a fine midweek win, beating Pewsey 4-1 but the victory came at a price.

Mark Webb's side picked up even more injuries to add to an extensive casualty list and the Cinder Lane boys travel to Shortwood with up to nine first teamers missing.

Neil Matthews (ankle) and Danny Mason (calf) both suffered injuries at Pewsey, adding to long-term absentees such as Lee Kilfoyle and Luke Sharps.

Lee Stoddart, who hit a hat-trick on Wednesday, is unavailable again due to work commitments.

That leaves 42-year-old Webb contemplating a playing comeback to boost a threadbare squad.

"It's ridiculous at the moment, we're never able to field the same side twice in a row," he said.

"I might even have to start the game myself on Saturday.

"The season has been a write off really. The title is gone and the best we can hope for is the top six."

Elsewhere in the top flight, struggling Pewsey Vale bid to move out of the drop zone when they travel to Henley.

Shrivenham returned to the top four in Division One West with a 3-0 win over Malmesbury last week, ending a period of indifferent form.

Manager Alan Dyton has availability problems ahead of the journey to Headington.

Michael Silvanus (ankle), Tom Jones (work) and top scorer Alex Green (holiday) miss out along with long-term injury worries Doug Imrie, Vinny Parker and Geo Desando.

But Dyton is not making excuses prior to the trip.

He said: "With the unavailability this is going to be a hard game but all clubs will suffer injuries at some time or other so we will just need to get on with it.

"We played Headington earlier in the season. It is a difficult place to go

and they are a big, physical side."

Leaders Purton are at home to lowly Middle Barton and three points will keep nearest challengers Ross at arm's length.

Cirencester United are away to Clanfield and Malmesbury travel to promotion-chasing Witney.