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We won't play for draws against top dogs
The relegation-haunted Rocks head into their two toughest assignments of the season with their manager vowing: "We're not going out to play for draws."
Bognor visit leaders Lewes on Saturday and second-placed Eastbourne on Tuesday night.
Some teams would go into such a double with the aim of defending in numbers and trying to come away with a couple of 0-0 draws.
But boss Michael Birmingham says that risks inviting pressure – and he will be much happier fighting fire with fire and trying to win the games.
"I'm not really someone who goes into games playing for draws, and, anyway, in our position, we need wins.
"Teams who have looked at Lewes and Eastbourne's records this season and gone out to get a point have come unstuck.
"I'd rather go looking for a win. We might not get it but at least we'll be giving ourselves a chance."
Bognor's miserable 3-0 defeat at home to Eastleigh last weekend left them still at the centre of a relegation battle.
Few of their rivals are picking up wins, although St Albans won a relegation six-pointer at home to Dorchester to move to within three points of the Rocks – before wasting the chance to pull level with them when they lost 2-1 at Hayes & Yeading on Tuesday night.
Birmingham said he was disappointed to miss the chance to win a second straight game for the first time this season last weekend, but now the focus had to turn to Lewes.
"We know how good they are – they will win the title, without a doubt," he said.
"I've got the utmost respect for what their manager, Steve King, is achieving down there but it's respect, not fear, we must show on Saturday.
"For me, this – and the Eastbourne game on Tuesday – is a chance to pit myself as a new manager against the best in the league, which I'll relish.
"These may not be the games we are banking on winning to get the points we need, but if we can get anything from them it will do us a lot of good."
Birmingham seems likely to keep faith with the pairing of Duncan Jupp and Seb Wallis-Tayler in central defence despite them – among others – having a nightmare first half against Eastleigh.
Birmingham said: "They're both great lads and will want to bounce back from that display.
"What delighted me at training on Tuesday night was that, after Saturday, all the lads' attitude and application was spot-on. They're not a bunch of players who dwell on defeats."
Can the Rocks get anything against the top two? Sign on ore register on this page to submit a comment or click here to send an email.
And we'll have first news from both games on this website.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South west
