HIGH-flying Weymouth have the perfect incentive for beating Bath City at the Wessex Stadium tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

The unbeaten Terras will go top of the Dr Martens Premier Division if they secure a maximum haul against the Romans and current leaders Nuneaton drop points from a tricky trip to Hednesford.

But while boss Steve Claridge reckons his side are good enough to challenge for honours this season, he's not getting carried away with Weymouth's unbeaten start.

He said: "We've done really well to still be unbeaten because the opening fixtures have been very, very difficult.

"To win two tough games away from home on the bounce, at Tiverton and Hinckley, shows we are on the right track and it's nice to go into tonight's game knowing we could be top by the end of the night.

"We're in this league to win it, there is no point in playing otherwise. You may as well come 17th than second. Having said that though, nobody has ever won a league in September and we need to keep our form going."

He added: "Bath will make life very difficult for us and it will be up to us to impose our game on them. If we play to our full ability, I'm confident we have enough quality to beat them.

"The league table is starting to pan itself out now and it's looking like Nuneaton will be the team to beat. But I'm sure we won't be far away ourselves providing we win games like tonight."

Claridge expects to name an unchanged side from the one that secured that last gasp win at Hinckley, with Lee Phillips (knee), Lee Russell (calf) and Ian Hutchinson (ankle) still ruled out.

Defender Jamie Impey returns to the squad after a back injury and Claridge added he hopes to sign a loan striker from a Nationwide League club as cover in the next few days.

"We've got quite a few games coming up which we need cover in case we receive any more injuries. A lot depends on how quickly Lee Phillips returns but having an extra body in will help," he said.

* Weymouth have decided not to appeal against Simon Browne's sending off against Nuneaton Borough a fortnight ago.

The Terras defender received his marching orders for his part in a late scuffle with visiting striker Brian Quailey.

Claridge claimed at the time the dismissal was a case of mistaken identity but has now given up hope of overturning Browne's one match ban, which rules him out of Saturday's home game with Merthyr Tydfil.

He said: "It is so frustrating because it seems you need video evidence, a private detective and 101 witnesses to even appeal against the decision.

"The referee initially said he had been sent off for retaliation but his report states the red card was for abusive language. But we'll just have to accept the ban and move on."