Tonbridge Angels v Horsham: Match preview

John Maggs is hoping that Steve Sargent will be fit to face Tonbridge Angels this weekend in what is already being billed by some as a 'six pointer'. The former Crawley midfielder has been in good form this season but picked up a knock during Monday's defeat to Kingstonian that forced him to miss Thursday's training session. "He should be okay for Saturday," said Maggs. "There's no point risking him at training so we decided to give him a bit of time to rest up. If he comes through, we'll be unchanged."

It might be a bit premature to label the meeting of the two keen rivals as a six pointer but, with the sides occupying the bottom two places in the Ryman Premier Division, it is clear that there is more than just pride at stake.

Horsham and Tonbridge have had a strong rivalry since the two clubs battled for promotion out of Division One in 2005/6 but this is possibly the first time in which they have competed at the wrong end of the table, with neither having yet picked up a win this season. Maggs' former assistant Tommy Warrilow, now in his third season as Angels boss, has made no secret of his target of a promotion play-off place and he must have been one of the league's busiest managers during the summer as he set about revamping his squad. Several established players left the club, including the likes of Lee Minshull, Anthony Storey, Jamie Cade and Fraser Logan, and they were joined this week by striker Paul Booth and ex-Hornet Lee Carey, but there has been no shortage of new recruits arriving at the Longmead Stadium including two faces familiar to Horsham fans in Jacob Mingle and Lewis Taylor and the Dover Athletic trio of Lee Browning, Danny Walder and Frannie Collin.

Little wonder, then, that expectations were high among the Tonbridge faithful as the season got under way but they were in for a rude awakening with an 3-0 opening day loss at Billericay. Things got little better for the Kent club when they threw away a 2-0 lead to go down 3-2 against promoted Bury and Collin's first competitive goal for the club failed to cheer the supporters who witnessed another home defeat, this time against Harrow Borough. There was a recovery of sorts with a goalless draw at Horsham's FA Cup opponents Folkestone on Monday, a result that enabled them to go above the Hornets thanks to Kingstonian's last seconds winner at Gorings Mead.

"It's not nice to be at the bottom of the pile," confessed Maggs," but everyone knows why we lost on Monday. We gave them two penalties and a gift of a winner but, apart from that, I was delighted with our performance and am sticking with the same eleven who started the game for that reason."

Horsham have lost just one of their last five league visits to Longmead and were only denied victory last season by Carl Rook's injury time equaliser.

For those unable to attend the match, you can follow the team's fortunes on our new Twitter page at www.twitter.com/horshamfc

Kick-off at the Longmead Stadium is 3pm.

Adult admission is £10, seniors & student £5,  under 14s £3