This Saturday sees The Rooks host Weston-Super-Mare at the Dripping Pan - the first of three crucial games in a week against sides also fighting desperately to maintain their Blue Square status.

After second-bottom Weston-Super-Mare this weekend Lewes make the long trip to Dorchester, themselves hovering just above the drop zone before returning to the West Country to face bottom side Weymouth, and Ibbitson says his side is prepared to battle for their lives.

"These are very very important games because we are in a desperate fight," Ibbitson stressed. "If we can win these games not only does it give us the points to boost us up the table but it will also drag the other teams who are in or around the relegation places down further."

But ahead of a hectic week of football Ibbitson has slight concerns over three of his star players. Joe Keehan (bruised thigh) and David Wheeler (knock to his knee) missed Tuesday's 3-2 FA Trophy defeat at Staines while Williams Peauroux - who has become a regular in recent weeks - is also carrying a knee injury.

All three players completed light training on Wednesday night and Keehan and Wheeler are expected to be fit to face Weston-Super-Mare on Saturday with Peauroux slightly more of a doubt. But with two games following in quick succession Ibbitson is expecting to have to make changes.

He said: "We're expecting Joe and David to be fit but Williams' knee is still sore and out of the three he's our biggest concern.

"We have a game on Tuesday and then the Saturday so the worry is if we play somebody this Saturday it may rule them out of the other two games.

"We have not got the biggest squad but we do have some good Under-18s and it is at these times we have to utilise them.

"You are very lucky as a club to come through three games without any injuries but we are confident we can deal with it even if we have to juggle the pack a bit."