DORCHESTER Town are well equipped to rise up the Pitching In Southern League Premier South table, manager Tom Killick insists.

The Magpies are embroiled in their fifth battle against relegation in six seasons, currently occupying 20th of the 22 teams, and visit play-off hopefuls Bracknell tomorrow (3pm).

In Dorchester’s favour over their remaining 14 games is the narrow gap between themselves and Hanwell in 15th, with only three points the distance.

And, having gone five games unbeaten before Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Gosport, Killick is not overlooking the performances that led to the Magpies’ run of form.

He told Echosport: “Particularly with a home game and the scoreline quite comprehensive, on the face of it that is a big setback.

READ MORE: Tom Killick asks Dorchester Town fans to play part in survival bid

“The important thing for me is that performance-wise it wasn’t a big step backwards. I felt there were still a lot of good things.

“We just have to retain a belief that we are equipped to rise up the table and win enough games between now and the end of the season.

“Just because on paper it’s tough and away from home, we have to have the belief that we can show enough to win.”

Killick has previously labelled Bracknell, currently seventh, as a side not living up to the heights of last season, when they were beaten play-off finalists.

“The season before, I felt they were one of the best sides in the league,” he said.

“They’ve dropped a bit this year in terms of their league position but they’ve had a couple of good recent results and they’ll be looking to still grab a play-off place, I assume.”

With the teams fighting battles at opposite ends of the table, Killick fended off any suggestion of pragmatism with his tactics this weekend.

“Not really, but your mentality does have to be slightly different away from home in so far as you can probably expect not to have as much of the ball,” he added.

“You need to try and stay in the game as long as possible and wait for your opportunities.

“It’s just having that focus and concentration, to me, that is key.

“The thing that cost us against Gosport was them being clinical and us being a bit sloppy on a couple of occasions in terms of the goals we conceded.

“We just have to emphasise how much concentration is needed and for us to be ruthless when we do get into good positions ourselves.”

Killick will continue to scan the player market with a busy schedule looming.

He said: “We’ve got a big influx of games over the next few weeks.

“You want to be as well-equipped as possible but nothing’s become available that is affordable and going to help us. We keep going with what we’ve got.”

Jordan Ngalo (hamstring) should be fit and Drew Eccott-Young returns from suspension, while Luke Roberts (hamstring) misses out.