MARTIN Paul is aiming to end his long Hardenhuish Park goal drought when third-placed Stafford Rangers visit on Saturday 8 March.

The 27-year-old frontman leads the Dr Martens Premier Division goal charts with 15 strikes in the league this term, but has not netted on home soil since the 4-1 FA Trophy win over Dorchester on November 2. Although Paul has grabbed eight goals since then, all of them have come on enemy territory and he ended a barren five-match run with Chippenham's third goal at Hednesford last week.

He is hoping to give the home fans something to cheer for the first time in more than four months on Saturday, but believes his lack of goals at Hardenhuish has much to do with the team's style of play. Said Paul: "It is quite bizarre really. The first eight goals all came at home and I couldn't score away for love nor money.

"As centre forwards, we are in the team to score goals and I'm fully aware of the fact that the pressure is on us to produce the goods at home. But no one who has seen us play at home could turn round and tell me that I've missed a host of chances in home games.

"We just don't create a lot of chances at home. We create more away because we are set up to hit other teams on the break. That's where our problems come from at home, although there are a lot of factors. Teams also come to us and show us a lot of respect because of our league position."

Paul has only scored twice in the league since the turn of the year but leads his rivals in the Premier Division goal race by two. Gary Bull of Grantham and Havant's James Taylor are just two of the players behind him on 13 goals.

The ex-Bath City marksman finished as the league's leading scorer when he hit 25 Premier Division goals for the Romans six years ago and wants to repeat the trick in the colours of Chippenham. He said: "I would like to finish as top scorer. Tommy Saunders showed a lot of faith in me in the summer because I was a bit in and out at Newport, for whatever reason. He took a gamble on me in a way and I'd like to repay him, the club and the fans.

"They have been used to people like Steve Tweddle and Charlie Griffin scoring goals for them over the years and have been absolutely tremendous towards me since I joined, even when I haven't been scoring."

Paul, who has targeted 20 goals for the campaign, is looking forward to Saturday's top of the table clash with Stafford but believes his side will need to work hard to break down the visitors. He said: "Stafford battered us at their place earlier in the season and we were fortunate to come away with a 0-0 draw. But they have had a few changes since then and a few of the lads that caused us problems that day aren't there any more.

"They have a game in hand on us so will probably be happy with a point and won't want to go five behind us. The onus will be on us to break them down. I can't see it being a classic and it might be one where we have to grind out a result."

While Tamworth look certain to lift the title come May, Paul believes Chippenham have every chance of finishing as runners-up behind them.

He said: "We have ten games to go and, if we pick up two points a game like we have been doing this season, then we will definitely be in the top three or four. It all depends whether Worcester or Stafford can get a run together. We'll keep trying to win it until that becomes impossible and, after that, go for second spot."