PAUL Gazzard reckons back-markers Bashley will have nothing to lose when they travel to in-form promotion hunters Cambridge City tomorrow (3pm).

Third-placed Lilywhites have nudged their way back into the title race with a four-match unbeaten run capped by 4-1 crushings of Bideford and Redditch United over the past week.

The nomadic outfit, who groundshare at Histon’s Bridge Road home, have scor-ed as many goals in their past six league outings as Bash have managed all season.

But boss Gazzard insists the underdog tag will play into battling Bashley’s hands as they embark on an unlikely quest to close the 11-point gap to Southern Premier safety.

Gazzard told the Daily Echo: “Like the Poole game, it is not the sort of fixture that will define our season.

“When you get to games like AFC Totton on Boxing Day, you know you have to win to give yourself a chance but anything against the likes of Cambridge is a bonus.

“These matches are about keeping up performance levels, getting the lads into good habits and trying to grab an unexpected result. It’s not a game we need to pick up points from and the boys will go into it without any pressure which will be an advantage.”

And although the New Forest outfit were cast fur-ther adrift at the foot of the table by AFC Totton’s mid-week win over Chippenham, Gazzard still believes his boys can muster their own rendition of the Great Escape.

“As long as the teams down there with us don’t start a winning run I still think we will get out of it,” he added. Bash: (from) Jones, Roberts, Flint, Strickland, Marden, Edwards, Morris, Bulpitt, Colson, Satterley, Joyce, Odam, Blackmore, Gazzard, Brookes, Stubbs.

  •  Wimborne Town will look to draw on home comforts as they attempt to get back on track their promotion push against FA Cup giant-killers Shortwood United (3pm).

Magpies, who have targeted a Southern South & West play-off place this season, find themselves five points shy of the top five going into the Cuthbury clash.

Magpies: (from) Harvell, Arnold, Oliver, Costello, Middleton, Wilson, Blake, Webb, Sainsbury, Stokoe, Kemble, Gamble, Griffin, Maybury, Roast, Davidson, Ackerman (g/k).