DUDLEY Town and Dudley Sports will face a derby battle with added spice on Saturday.

The first clash between the rivals this season (3pm kick-off) will have even more on the line due to both sides being engulfed in a West Midlands Premier League survival fight.

Sports, who host the game at Hillcrest Avenue, sit second-from-bottom following last Saturday's disappointing 5-1 defeat at Haughmond while the Robins are perched just two places and six points above.

Town go into the clash on the back of a 1-0 defeat against Malvern at the Dell, though they are set to welcome Bewdley Town tomorrow night as they look to build some momentum.

Robins boss Andy Allardice said: "I didn't get the formation right against Malvern but we put that right in the second half and managed to turn things around. But we just didn't take our chances to get the equaliser.

"The derby with Sports is a massive game now, especially because we are both scrapping down at the bottom of the table. The result is not all about bragging rights because it could have a big say at the end of the season as well."

Town have no major injury concerns heading into the contest Meanwhile, Sports boss Tony Gore is hoping a win in the derby encounter will be the boost his side need to start climbing the table.

He said: "We will look at the game as a big chance for us to cut the gap between the two sides.

"We must have a better second half to the season and it would be great if we could start that with a win on Saturday."

However, the manager says his side must cut out the mistakes that cost them against Haughmond, adding: "We have got to be disappointed by the Haughmond defeat because we have taken an early lead yet gifted them three goals.

"If we want to get out of the situation we are in then we have to start making better decisions."

Josh Taylor and Curtis Cocking should return from injury to feature on Saturday.

One player that won't come back to haunt Town on this occasion is former player Jake Fairhurst. The attacker, who moved between the two rivals a fortnight ago, will miss the game with a knee injury.