IT'S one big game after another for Evesham United and they don't come any bigger than this weekend's Worce-stershire derby against Bromsgrove Rovers, writes Mervyn Collins.

Common Road should see the largest crowd of the season on Saturday for the clash between two promotion rivals with Rovers seeking revenge for a 3-1 defeat at the Victoria Ground in November.

Both sides have seen their hopes of honours dented since the turn of the year with Bromsgrove losing out 1-0 to Rothwell Town while the Robins were recovering from the setback at Mangotsfield with a 3-1 win over Burnham.

Rovers. meanwhile, suffered the same fate as United when losing out to Studley on Tuesday night in the Worcestershire FA Senor Cup when the Travel Factory Alliance side reached the final after a 3-2 success.

"It's going to be a typical derby game and it's one that we want to win," said Evesham manager Dave Busst.

"It doesn't matter who we play between now and the end of the season, it's always going to be a battle. We did well up there earlier in the season but they've had a new manager come in and have been going great guns until a couple of recent slip-ups."

United have also suffered since the turn of the year but the manager is still pleased with what he has seen out on the pitch.

"I was pleased with the way we played at both Mangotsfield and Solihull and, with a little good fortune and better finishing, we could have won both games," Busst admitted.

The latter was on show at Common Road last weekend after a nervous start and the loss of Marc Burrow with a calf injury.

"We could easily have been one down and then lost Marc but we hit back strongly, took our goals well and scored them at the right time," the manager recalled.

Burrow's injury was being assessed at training last night when Busst and assistant Paul West were discussing a replacement for suspended skipper Lee Knight.

Both Knight and Leon Blake will miss the next two games as United seek to consolidate their position in the top six, while also being in a position to claim top spot this weekend should Mangotsfield or Clevedon slip up and Busst's men register a fifth Division One West double of the campaign.

Saturday's match is being sponsored by Reeves Pearsall Supplies of Redd-itch and the ball by Derek Monaghan.

Division One West (top)

P W D L F A Pts

Mangotsfield 27 15 6 6 56 36 51

Clevedon 27 16 2 9 58 33 50

Evesham 27 14 7 6 42 23 49

Yate Town 25 14 5 6 50 24 47

Rothwell 25 13 6 6 38 27 45

Bromsgrove 24 12 7 5 38 24 43

Brackley 26 12 7 7 47 30 43