SATURDAYS OPPONENTS: CHIPPENHAM will be looking to reproduce one of their best displays of the season when fast-fading Hednesford Town visit Hardenhuish Park on Saturday 5 April.

Goals from Martin Paul, Adie Mings and Matt Rawlins gave the Bluebirds a memorable 3-1 win at Keys Park on February 24 and their visitors go into Saturday's game on the back of a three-match losing run.

Hednesford graced the Conference for six seasons in the late 1990s but were relegated in 2001 and finished only three points clear of the Premier Division drop zone last season.

The midlands side have won only two league matches since the turn of the year and current form suggests they face another struggle to avoid relegation to the Western Division this time around.

Hednesford's poor run has included heavy defeats at bottom two Ilkeston and Folkestone and they are only three points clear of fourth from bottom Halesowen with eight games to play.

Their slump down the Premier Division table saw Ian Painter sacked ahead of Saturday's 1-0 home defeat at the hands of runaway leaders Tamworth.

Painter has been replaced at the helm by director of football Barry Powell and player-manager Chris Brindley.

Powell led League of Wales side Barry Town into Europe and was assistant to Kenny Hibbitt at Keys Park last season. Former Wolves defender Brindley returned to the club this season after spells at Kidderminster and Stafford.

Hednesford's best-known player is towering forward Kevin Francis, who played for Derby, Stockport, Birmingham and Oxford during a long professional career. The 6ft 7ins striker signed for the club in August 2001.

Francis will be partnered in attack by Steven Pierce, who deflected home a late consolation goal when the Bluebirds defeated Hednesford six weeks ago. Former Wigan and Burnley target man Graham Lancashire should start on the bench.

Former Aston Villa youngster David Berks plays in midfield and scored the only goal in Hednesford's 1-0 win over Newport on March 8.

Brian Small, cousin of Bluebirds forward Matt Rawlins, lines up at left back. The 31-year-old spent six years at Aston Villa and has also played for Stoke and Walsall.

Chippenham assistant manager Colin Bush is hoping his side will build on Saturday's confidence-boosting win over Cambridge, but has warned against complacency.

He said: "We had an excellent performance up at Hednesford on a flat pitch. Charlie Griffin sat in behind the front two and we played some tremendous stuff.

"But Hednesford are a good side and, if you aren't set up properly in this league, then you will lose the game no matter who you are playing."