SALISBURY manager Geoff Butler says his small squad means players have to motivate themselves more than ever.

With only 17 players on the books, Butler knows he can't apply pressure for places, and says: "The players have got to really want it. They have got to apply their own pressure and motivate themselves. There's only a certain amount I can do, the players have got to a lot of it themselves."

Salisbury's Christmas holiday brought a goalless draw with Folkestone, followed by a 3-1 defeat at Havant & Waterlooville, but Butler says: "We haven't played well for three games now, even in the win over a poor Fisher side."

Butler expects his three doubts - Andy Cook (knee and double vision), Tyronne Bowers (groin) and Phil Corcoran (flu) to recover in time to line-up against King's Lynn. Whites entertain fourth-placed Crawley on Monday (3pm).

Havant & Waterlooville co-manager Mick Jenkins is in the fortunate position of being both injury and suspension free as he prepares for tomorrow's Premier Division home clash with Merthyr Tydfil and Monday's trip along the south coast to rock-bottom Dorchester.

"We've not played a lot of games recently," smiled Jenkins. "But it's still a nice position to be in at this time of year and generally I've been pleased with our recent performances.

"But we'll have to be on our guard against Merthyr tomorrow, a couple of defeats over Christmas will have wounded them and, of course, Dorchester gave us a good spanking down there last season - so we owe them one."

Newport boss Tony Mount heads into a hectic New Year fixture programme looking for maximum points to strengthen their Dr Martens Eastern Division promotion push.

Both Saturday's opponents Banbury United and Monday's visitors to St George's Park, Burnham (3pm), occupy places in the bottom six of the table, and Mount has set his sights on six points to get the New Year off to a flying start.

Two Christmas draws against table-toppers Chelmsford and local rivals Bashley brought mixed emotions from the Islanders boss.

"We played really well against Chelmsford. In fact I think it would be fair to say that we played them off the park and we were unlucky not to win that game when Steve Riley hit the crossbar with the last kick of the match," said Mount.

"But against Bashley we didn't come to life until they scored late on and I was pleased that we managed to salvage a point."

A one-match ban for five bookings means that captain John Price will miss tomorrow's trip to Banbury, while Chris Collins is also doubtful for that game after picking up a thigh strain.

Bashley look as though they may be without central defender Simon Elley for tomorrow's Eastern Division clash with Sittingbourne at the Recreation Ground.

Elley limped out of their Boxing Day clash against Newport with a gashed knee after just six minutes and will need patching up quickly if he is to figure against the Kent side or at Witney Town on Monday.

"He'll certainly need a fitness test on it," confirmed assistant manager Trevor Senior. "But if Simon doesn't make it, then David Goss, who slotted in well on Tuesday, can fill in again."

The Foresters have now surrendered a lead late on in their last three games, away at Corby and Ashford and at home to Newport on Boxing Day.