WINNING is the only thing on the minds of Basingstoke Town players, as they try to get themselves away from the bottom of the National League South.

The Dragons have lost their last four games and Town latest defeat came at the hands of high flying Sutton on Tuesday night On the same evening two of the relegation rivals Havant and Waterlooville and Hayes and Yeading both won.

This left Town eight points away from safety and having played two more games than their rivals, so the trap door is starting to open.

Next up for the Dragons is a visit from mid-table Maidenhead United on Saturday (3pm) and Town really need to snap their recent losing streak.

The visiting Magpies won the reverse fixture 4-3 earlier in the season, but have not won in their last nine outings so there is some light at the end of the tunnel for Town.

Basingstoke Town boss Michael Gilkes is hopeful midfielder Glen Southam will be back, but fellow midfielder Simon Dunn is doubt after he limped off against Sutton.

Gilkes said: "We are on a bad run at the moment, but the players are determined and there is no reason we cannot pick up three points on Saturday."

Town will be out to clip the wings of the Magpies and the home defence will have to stop two former strikers David Tarpey and Ben Wright if they are to get back to winning ways and move themselves away from the bottom of the National League South table.

Last Saturday, Town suffered a 2-1 defeat at Margate, where they missed a last minute penalty.

Town boss Michael Gilkes felt his side deserved more from the game and said: "We did enough to get a draw and I was pleased how we responded after we went a goal down.

"In the second half we deserved an equaliser for the amount of chances we had and we were given a penalty, but we were unable to convert it."

In stark contrast on Tuesday night in their 2-1 loss to Sutton, Gilkes felt his side deserved nothing from the game and said: "We were beaten by a better team tonight. This is the first time since I took over where we have been outplayed in all department. We have to learn from this and put things right on Saturday against Maidenhead." The Dragons will entertain Wessex League Premier Division Horndean in quarter-finals of the Hampshire Senior Cup on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

Horndean beat Totton and Eling 5-3 as the eighth time the team’s played proved to be successful.

The winner of this tie will travel to Havant and Waterlooville in the last four. The other semi-final will see Fleet Town face Winchester City.