YATE Town manager Craig Laird wants to beef up the frontline before Saturday’s big Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West derby with Slimbridge at Lodge Road.

Laird has put in a seven day notice for striker George King who is currently with Toolstation Western League Premier Division outfit Cribbs FC.

King has made 22 appearances for Cribbs this season, with 17 starts, and scored five times for them, with Laird believing that he is just the sort of talent that could help deliver more goals for the Bluebells as they struggle to get a decent winning run going.

It will be a boost for Yate ahead of the derby but much needed. They have scored only six goals in their last nine matches since the last win which was against Swindon Supermarine nearly two months ago.

And, despite Yate languishing in 14th place in the table, Laird insists he has not given up on achieving a play-off place this season although the Bluebells need to start winning again pretty rapidly in order to climb up the ladder.

That is why the stakes are high on Saturday as the match with Slimbridge is a serious six-pointer with both teams lying dead level just below the halfway mark of the table.

Both sides have chipped away at matches and secured a draw here and there, albeit for both against some tough opponents, although Yate hold the advantage in Saturday’s encounter, having beaten The Swans at their Wisloe Road home back in August by a comfortable 4-0.

Yate got just their third point since that Supermarine victory with a 1-1 draw at Didcot Town last Saturday but Laird said: “To be honest, it was a good performance but just not the right result. “ Of this weekend, he added: “We are trying to get some momentum going in the league but they (Slimbridge) are a tough side. They have some players who can hurt you and we have to make sure we respect them going into the game.”

The Bluebells boss, however, denied there is pressure on the side to win on Saturday as this is the first season in this division for Slimbridge, the highest league they have ever competed in.

“I don’t feel pressure. You have to go out and perform if you are home or away every week.

“I just want the supporters to be patient and I thank them for their support on a horrible day last Saturday.

“The results have been disappointing but we feel we are competitive in most games.

“In the face of adversity, most players have shown their grit and character and they are doing their best for Yate Town.

“We have a lot of work to do to get to the play-offs but we want to be there and fighting for it with the last ten games to go.

“We want to win games and be successful and maybe competitive at the end of the season.

“That will be a tough ask from where we are now, but when I said at the start of the season that we want to win the league, I was very honest and believed we could.

“We want to get ourselves into the play-offs and not just mid-table, but we have to get those results.”

With Yate coming off the back of a nine-game winless run, it would certainly take a monumental effort to challenge for a coveted top-five finish, but Laird remains confident in his side.

Town looked to be coming in to some form in the Autumn months, winning five of nine league games between August and October, but things have since taken a turn for the worst.

However, a much-needed win against Slimbridge could be the catalyst for a turnaround.