WINCHESTER City have two tasty games approaching in the space of the next five days.

On Saturday they entertain a Taunton Town side rated by City boss Ian Saunders as “arguably the best team” in the Southern One South & West.

Then on Tuesday the spotlight turns to a Hampshire FA Senior Cup semi-final at Basingstoke Town with the Citizens eager to reach the county's showpiece finale for the second season running.

While both games are very much at the forefront of Saunders’ thinking, he admits he also has one eye on next season.

A return of just five points from the last 15 has almost certainly scuppered ninth-placed City’s play-offs hopes and, while keen to end 2016/17 strongly, they are already planning ahead.

“We’ve just come into March and I don’t normally talk about the following season as early as this,” said Saunders.

“But realistically Tuesday's 0-0 draw against Bideford did nothing for either side’s play-off potential and we’ve got to be a bit more realistic with the rest of the season.

“After the start we had, a top-ten finish would still be a success for us and we’ll remain positive and try and pick up as many points as possible.

“If we’d had the squad we’ve got now from day one we’d be a lot closer than we are now.

“We probably think the play-offs are a bridge too far, but if we can keep certain individuals during the summer and hopefully add a couple of bits of quality, there’s lots of positivity about where we go from here.”

Although Hereford are running away with the league, Saunders rates Saturday's third-placed guests Taunton highly.

City flopped 3-1 away to the Peacocks in October and the boss said: “They’re probably the most complete side we’ve played.”

Howard Neighbour and Danny King should return for Winchester, but Adam Tomasso is still injured.

Striker Sam Wilson is back at the club after a spell away dual-signed for Wessex outfit Blackfield & Langley, but he is still getting over a metatarsal problem.

“It was good for us to send Sam out to get some experience and hopefully he’ll get some football with us before the end of the season,” said Saunders.

“We’ve had him back for two weeks, but he’s not quite fit yet.”