PRIDE and precious points will be at stake when WIVENHOE TOWN take on neighbours FC CLACTON.

Both sides are struggling near the foot of the Thurlow Nunn League premier division table, ahead of their showdown at the Maple Tree Cars Stadium.

Wivenhoe are second from bottom, with 12 points while Clacton are three places higher but only have one extra point.

Clacton were left licking their wounds after last week’s home defeat against basement boys Woodbridge while the Dragons have not played yet this year, following two postponements.

However, boss Mo Osman is not expecting any rustiness.

He said: “We’ve been training hard twice a week and we’re all looking forward to today.

“It’ll be a tough one against a side with a new manager (Phil Yearling).

“Their defeat last week will have hurt them and today’s game will boil down to which team puts the bigger shift in and wants it more.”

Yearling hopes his side produce a much better performance than they managed against Woodbridge last Saturday.

“I’m not a defeatist and last weekend was one game in a season,” he said.

“Hopefully it will soon become a distant memory.

“I don’t want to put more pressure on my players by saying today’s game is must-win, because that doesn’t do us any favours. But as the matches run out, and teams start catching us up, they do become more important and the players have to accept that responsibility.”

STANWAY ROVERS will be hoping to make it three wins in a row when they visit Thetford.

Michael Brothers is back after suspension and Matt Cripps could return after suffering a hamstring pull against Wivenhoe on December 28.

In division one, BRAINTREE TOWN RESERVES visit Downham.