Hadleigh boss Christian Appleford is confident his Millfield side can avoid the drop into Step 6 football.

The Brettsiders are still bottom of Thurlow Premier having won just one of their last six.

Only the bottom side in the table are relegated and Hadleigh are a point adrift of Gorleston and two of Ely City. This weekend Hadleigh entertain Long Melford.

"The players' spirit is good and we are all pulling in the right direction," Appleford said.

"We know we are all in it together. We've talked about it. If we keep playing the way we have at times in the past weeks, I'm personally confident we will be fine.

"They say not much goes your way when you are at the bottom and that is the case with us.

"I'm never one to blame injuries and that won't determine where we finish, but we really have had a load of them this season."

Appleford has certainly been working hard to bring in players with numerous comings and goings at the club.

"I reckon in all the years I was a Mildenhall I had a nucleus of 10-15 players and just brought in four and released four each season. This season at Hadleigh I've had to bring in loads of players for various reasons. And have lost players as well."

Hadleigh's opponents Melford have only taken one point from their last 15.

Meanwhile at the top of the table, leaders Stowmarket Town head to Thetford Town and it would be a surprise should the home team grab anything from this clash.

Stow look more and more likely to be title winners this season, but the race for the potential of second place is certainly interesting.

Newmarket Town were held to a draw at improving Whitton on Tuesday night.

The Jockeys are back on home turf this weekend as they entertain Swaffham Town.

Third-placed Wroxham are in Norfolk Senior Cup action, at Harleston, as are Norwich United, who have won their last seven Premier Division fixtures - United travel to University of East Anglia.

Woodbridge Town will be hoping to bounce back from a big defeat at home to Norwich United last weekend. And they have a chance to put things right, with lowly Ely their opponents in Cambridgeshire.

Whitton United, who are on fine run, will be confident of keeping that going away at Walsham, while Haverhill Rovers have been in decent form of late and will fancy their chances of another positive result - although opponents Brantham have picked up of late as well.

Kirkley & Pakefield will be glad to get back to home comforts at Walmer Road after four games on the road that all ended in defeat. FC Clacton are their opponents.

Stanway, who last Saturday ended the game with eight men against Wroxham in a defeat, will hope for a better result and a bitter disciplinary display away at Godmanchester.

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BOTTOM FIVE

Walsham 22 24

Haverhill 23 24

Ely 25 18

Gorleston 21 17

Hadleigh 23 16