Paddy Davitt Team Bath head coach Andy Tillson warns King's Lynn his men have the stomach for a Southern League, Premier Division title fight ahead of tomorrow's Walks clash.

Paddy Davitt

Team Bath head coach Andy Tillson warns King's Lynn his men have the stomach for a Southern League, Premier Division title fight ahead of tomorrow's Walks clash.

Keith Webb's side crushed the second placed Students 4-0 at Twerton Park in February while current leaders Halesowen also thumped Tillson's outfit on home turf.

Lynn's championship rivals slipped up again 4-3 at play-off chasing Bashley in midweek - but Tillson predicts a big response as the title chase enters the final furlong.

“We've both been pushing throughout the season to be where we are now and it's a great situation for both clubs to be in,” said Tillson, the former QPR and Grimsby defender. “It's going to be a great game on Saturday. Everyone has to look forward to playing in a game like this at this stage of the season.

“We've got a lot of respect for Keith and what he's done at King's Lynn. The players did a bit of soul-searching recently after we suffered the setback at home against King's Lynn and they've emerged from that to show real character. Our stay at the top of the table lasted about a week, but we're still in there chasing the title.”

Tillson insists his men's cross-country mission is not a title decider. The 41-year-old is adamant Halesowen still pose a huge threat - despite the chasing duo having games in hand on the Yeltz.

Team Bath currently lie one game and one point behind the pacesetters with Webb's side a further point adrift with two games in hand.

“It's good to have three teams still in it at this stage of the season,” said Tillson. “Halesowen won't lose too many games between now and the end and if they'd started the season better then they'd have a real chance. They've got the likes of Darren Caskey playing for them and are paying the sort of money that attracts experienced players like that.

“They are a club looking to do things and it might not be too late for it to happen this season.”

Tillson denies Team Bath's title push is running out of steam as the title race boils to a climax with seven league defeats since the turn of the year.

“I don't see it as a slump because some of our performances have been very good,” he said. “The start of the run was when we lost 1-0 at home to Brackley, but we should have got something from that game and then we dominated away from home against Merthyr and should have won it.

“That's been the main thing, really - we haven't been scoring when we've been on top in games. We've gone into a tough time of year when teams are battling it out on difficult pitches and it almost becomes fight ball.”

n Lynn yesterday announced midfielder Shaun Carey had been released.

Carey recently had to abort a loan spell at Spalding United in his latest comeback bid from the double leg break injury he suffered against Corby in September 2006.

Carey was restricted to six first team appearances at The Walks this season. Ironically his final outing for the club came in Lynn's 4-0 Twerton Park win against Team Bath in February.