Tiverton Town manager Mark Saunders has urged his players to overcome their lack of competitive match action and continue their good run of form against Bishops Cleeve tonight.

The Yellows have not tasted defeat in their last ten competitive games, although the last of those was a 2-1 Devon St Luke's Cup away win at Bideford at the end of January.

Saunders' men drew 1-1 with Torquay United and 0-0 with Willand Rovers in friendlies last week, and the boss thinks his side have what it takes to avoid defeat at Ladysmead this evening.

"In terms of how we will play in the league, whatever will be will be. When players have not played any competitive football for a few weeks, it is hard to pick up where you left off," he said.

"That is up to the players we have brought in and how they react to having not played for so long, so we will just have to wait and see how they perform at the time. But we have a good side here – a young side with plenty of youth mixed in with a bit of experience, and we are improving too.

"We should be full of confidence but you can never tell – all good runs have to come to an end at some point, but hopefully not yet.

"I am quietly confident we can carry on going in the right direction but it is up to the players on the day."

Saunders is set to welcome Danny Clay back into the starting line-up after the combative midfielder was suspended following consecutive dismissals against Cinderford Town and Bideford.

The former Truro City man scored the goal which put Tivvy into the lead during their 1-1 draw with Torquay United at Ladysmead last Wednesday.

Saunders was quick to point out that, despite Tivvy's good run of form, Bishops Cleeve – who sit one place and three points above the Yellows in the Evo-Stik League standings, having played two games more – were unlikely to be pushovers at Ladysmead.

"They are just above us in the league and they are on a pretty decent run themselves at the moment," he said. "But we are doing well and heading in the right direction.

"As I said a few weeks ago, it does not matter who we are playing at the moment though – it is all about us and making sure we keep doing what we are doing. So long as we focus on getting everything we do right, then we should be OK because we are playing well at the moment."

Bideford are also in action in Division One South and West tonight. The leaders have an away game at Clevedon Town.