SALISBURY will bid to make it third time lucky at Larkhall Athletic on Saturday, having already lost to the Bath-based side twice this season.

But the Whites are a more dangerous animal these days, having won their last eight games on the bounce in all competitions.

It leaves them second in the Evo-Stik South West with a five-point gap on third-placed Bristol Manor Farm.

Manager Steve Claridge said: “I feel we are still playing some really good football, but in the first three months everything went against us.

“Now we are getting luck and penalties are being missed or chances are going begging, when before they were hitting the net against us.

“It’s no surprise we are doing so well as I always had faith in these players and now we have ourselves in a strong position.

"The next three games are massive - the one away at Larkhall and the next two home games (against Barnstaple and Yate) - as we want to keep the gap the same or widen it.

“Larkhall are a side who, on their day, can beat anyone. It is a difficult place to go with a difficult surface.

"Others will look at this game as one we could drop points in as they have already beaten us twice.”

Striker Owen Howe may well return to the starting line-up, having been on the subs' bench in last weekend’s 2-0 home win over North Leigh. He had picked up a pelvic strain against Cirencester the week before.