CHIPPENHAM Town face local rivals Mangotsfield United and Gloucester City over the Easter weekend knowing two victories would virtually guarantee them Dr Martens League football next season.

The Bluebirds, 2-0 winners at Rocester on Tuesday night, remain in second place in the Dr Martens League Western Division and have opened up seven points clear of the chasing pack with six to play.

Tuesday's results mean Chippenham need 12 more points to guarantee themselves a second successive promotion at the end of next month. The two biggest tests remaining for the club come in the space of three days this weekend, with passions sure to run high in both clashes with local pride at stake.

Chippenham centre back Nathan Rudge is a former Mangotsfield player, while Danny Hunt, Adie Mings, Grantley Dicks and Matt Rawlins have all worn the colours of Gloucester.

Manager Saunders remains typically cautious as his side head into the home straight. He said: "They are two big local derbies for the club, but we've got six games to get 11 points. We hope to win them both, but we could afford to lose them both as well.

"But I'm trying not to think about anything apart from Mangotsfield on Saturday at the moment. There is nothing I don't know about them and there is nothing they don't know about us. It will all be down to the day itself.''

Saunders is setting no targets ahead of the two derbies against Mangotsfield and Gloucester, and is sure his side will need each of the four wins required in order to gain promotion.

He said: "We are in the driving seat, but it is nowhere near finished. I'm not going to have people saying to me in the summer that we blew it because I said we were up with six games to go.

"Only an idiot would think we are up already and there is a long way to go yet. We have to assume Solihull will take 16 points from their last six games. If they do then we need four wins."

Saunders has had the luxury of a fully fit squad to pick from for the past three weeks and the Bluebirds 14-man line-up was unchanged for the fourth game in succession on Tuesday night.

But both James Bent and Gareth Davies limped off the clash at Rocester, with Bent facing a race against time to retain his place in attack for the trip to Mangotsfield. The 21-year-old forward is struggling with an ankle injury, as is leading scorer Matt Rawlins.

Mings and Simon Charity are ready to deputise should either fail to recover in time. Better news is that ex-Swindon defender Davies is ready to play at right-back, despite suffering a slight thigh strain at Rocester.

Davies has been part of a rock-solid back four alongside Rudge, Grantley Dicks and Shane Andrews in recent games and is under no illusions as to the importance of the weekend double-header. He said: "Things are looking good for us and we can only lose it now.

"By 5 o'clock on Monday, I think the league table will tell a hell of a story. If we win both games and results go for us elsewhere, then I think we are as good as promoted."

Victory at Cossham Street on Saturday would be particularly sweet for defensive lynchpin Rudge, who left the Bristol side in 1999 for Clevedon Town before moving on to Chippenham.

Said Rudge: "I'm sure I'll get as much stick from their fans as I always get when I go there. They moaned at me for 90 minutes when I was a player there and I don't expect it to be any different now.

"I know every player in their team. Playing Chippenham will mean something to them even though they don't have much else to play for.

"I think they are a bit jealous of how we've done and are thinking to themselves that they could have done the same thing last year. It should be a good game and we are capable of going there and beating them."

Rudge is another who believes the outcome of the next two matches will have a huge bearing on whether or not Chippenham are playing Premier Division football next term. He said: "This weekend is the big one for us. If we can get two wins then we're going to be al right.''

Striker Steve Tweddle has regained his scoring touch in time for the crucial two fixtures and is confident the Bluebirds can emerge with maximum points.

He said: "It's a massive weekend for us with games against two good clubs and we can take a massive step towards promotion if we get the right results.

"We have a four games after these two and, no disrespect to the teams we are playing, we would be disappointed if we didn't win all of them.

"We tend to play better against the better sides and I'm confident we can win them.

"We play better football and find our momentum quicker.

"A lot of players in our side have turned out for either Mangotsfield or Gloucester, but I really fancy us in both games."