WEYMOUTH manager Bobby Wilkinson will keep battling to escape the Vanarama National League South drop, adding the Terras will “go down swinging” whatever happens.

Weymouth have six games remaining to bridge a five-point gap to Cheshunt in the final safe position of 20th.

Their task begins today (3pm) with a trip to out-of-form Havant & Waterlooville, who sit bottom of the form table with just three points from their past ten games.

Speaking to Echosport, Wilkinson hopes his players leave everything out on the pitch during the run-in.

He said: “One thing I will say in the last ten games, is that we’ve been giving it everything.

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"That has made me proud as a manager that they keep going.

“If we’re going to go down, keep swinging your heart out like I expect us to do. You realise who’s with you and who’s not when you’re losing.

“As a management team and players we’ve got to keep swinging and see if we can give a few body punches.

“You owe that to the fans, to everyone but you owe it to yourself. That’s the key message: ‘Keep fighting.’”

Asked if he sensed a big chance given Havant’s form, he added: “Yes, you go there trying to win.

“But they know we’re in a bit of a low ourselves. The videos I’ve watched and the reports I’ve got, they’ve been unlucky as well.

“They’re going through a very tricky spell. Both clubs are going to go hammer and tongs at each other. We’ve done a lot of homework on Havant.”

Weymouth have already won at Havant this season, winning 2-1 to progress to the FA Cup first round.

Wilkinson said: “We went there and it was a real upset. This is a different game now and we’re at a different stage of the season.

“One club’s really hurting and one club’s trying to get into the play-offs. On paper it’s a very big game.”

With many Weymouth fans resigned to relegation, Wilkinson believes a late surge of form can rescue the Terras.

He said: “If we get back-to-back wins, you can give yourself a chance. I know how difficult it’s going to be because of the two teams we’re playing (Bath on Monday).

“Stats and facts don’t lie. Every time we as a club have had an opportunity to give ourselves another chance, we’ve not won that game of football.

“I’m never going to make that an excuse. We’ve had opportunities and that’s why it’s hurting us so much.

“But, we have another opportunity because there’s two games up for grabs.”

Luke Nippard (hamstring) is expected to miss out after suffering a setback in training, while Ben Thomson and Harry Kyprianou (both hamstring) are both rated as 50/50.