NEWPORT face a make or break weekend in their faltering Dr Martens League Eastern Division promotion drive.

Back-to-back defeats at Folkestone and Chelmsford have left the Islanders toiling ten points off the top-two pace and any further slip-ups at Spalding tomorrow and at home to Hastings on Sunday (3pm) would all but shatter their dream of Premier football.

"The most important thing is to make sure we pick the side to do the job at Spalding tomorrow because whatever we do there will have a knock-on effect for Sunday," said coach Joe Roach.

Second-from-bottom Spalding have hit a hot, five-match unbeaten streak but Roach insisted: "It's not about the opposition, it's about getting our own house in order. Too many players lacked commitment at Chelmsford and that was sad to see at this stage of the season when there's so much to achieve."

Pompey loan goalkeeper Chris Tardif is struggling with a groin strain so Ian Lloyd is added to the squad.

Bashley follow Newport's footsteps to Spalding on Sunday (3.00) hoping to make amends for Saturday's damaging 3-1 home defeat by the Lincolnshire club which plunged them into the bottom three.

But first the Foresters face the titanic task of taming new league leaders Folkestone Invicta at the Recreation Ground tomorrow.

"I'd sooner be facing a different team but if we can get a good performance and decent result tomorrow it will set us up nicely for Spalding," said Bash boss Barry Blankley. Marcel Cullers, Chris Marwood and Dominic Taylor should all be back but Richard Morse is suspended and Paul Liddon is due to go on holiday.

The good news for Bashley is that Raunds Town will occupy one of the two relegation spots after failing to have their resignation from the league rescinded. That leaves rock-bottom Fleet - eight points adrift of Spalding - as firm favourites for the drop.

Fleet head for Witney tomorrow with secretary John Goodyear admitting: "I'm still optimist with ten games to go but it's going to be a real struggle."

Salisbury defender Andy Cook has the stitches removed from a head wound today and could return at Halesowen tomorrow where Whites must stop the rot of four straight Premier Division defeats.

Midfielder Danny Rofe may also be passed fit following treatment at The Dell but Tyronne Bowers is struggling with a badly swollen knee.

Gloucester-bound Havant & Waterlooville are also on the Premier slide following defeats at Cambridge and Burton and manager Billy Gilbert stressed: "We badly need to get a run together. We don't want to be dragged down among the bottom clubs."

Fit-again Duncan O'Rourke should be back in contention but, with Simon Elley and Liam Daish suspended and Jamie O'Rourke and Paul Wood still injured, Gilbert is hoping to clinch a loan signing.

Basingstoke boss Ernie Howe admits his relegation-threatened side will be hard put to prise a result at Ryman Premier top dogs Dagenham & Redbridge.

"The odds are stacked against us but, who knows, that might go in our favour," he said.

Ian Mancey will replace the unavailable Tim Sills up front while Paul Wilkinson, Steve Winter and Jason Bristow all face fitness tests.

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