Needham Market are targeting a top-10 finish, after a good recent unbeaten run stretching to four matches.

The Marketmen, currently 11th in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Central table, two points off the top 10, entertain mid-table St Ives Town at Bloomfields this afternoon, before facing up a testing trip to promotion-chasing King’s Lynn Town on Easter Monday.

Richard Wilkins’ men are fresh from last weekend’s fine 2-0 win at Barwell, when an Adam Mills header and a late effort from Jamie Griffiths secured all three points.

In recent weeks the Suffolk side have also won away at Rushall Olympic (1-0), as well as sharing home draws with Coalville Town (1-1) and high-flying Stourbridge (0-0).

“We have picked up nicely, and the run could have been even better,” explained manager Wilkins.

“It could have been three wins out of four, if it wasn’t for Coalville’s late equaliser, but I was very impressed with the team last Saturday (at Barwell).

“We were in command of the game throughout, which was very pleasing, and it’s good to have got away from that poor run of results,” added Wilkins, with reference to his side’s barren spell that had featured five straight defeats before the current good run.

Wilkins continued: “St Ives are a very hard-working side, who are dangerous from set pieces.

“They are not one of the more glamorous teams in the league, but they never stop running and they play at a very high intensity.

“We then have King’s Lynn away, which will be a very tough match. They turned us over well at our place (4-1 win at Bloomfields on New Year’s Day), so we want to go there and show that we too are a decent team.

“It would be nice to get into the 10th spot and finish in the top 10, though these are two tough Easter games.”

Needham will welcome back Decarrey Sheriff into the squad, although Griffiths might retain his place in the side after playing well and also scoring last weekend.

St Ives are just two points and two places adrift of Needham.

Wilkins’ men finish their season with a home match against Alvechurch next weekend.