MALDON and Tiptree are preparing to take on former boss Terry Spillane.

The Jammers travel to Thamesmead Town on Saturday where Spillane has recently taken over as first team manager.

Spillane left the Park Drive club by mutual consent in September last year after a run of losing results.

And present Jammers boss Alan Kimble will not want his side to lose to their former manager.

But for Kimble the win and the points are more important than anything else as he looks to secure their place in Ryman League division one north over a busy Easter weekend.

Maldon then travel to Heybridge Swifts on Monday for a big local derby.

The Jammers lost 2-0 at Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday and are still looking to consolidate their position in the division and not get dragged back into a relegation battle.

And a win at Thamesmead would go a long way to reaching that goal.

Kimble said: “It is going to be a good game against Thamesmead.

“Terry will want his side to win because he will have a point to prove.

“And we want to win the game to get the three points and ensure our safety in the division.

“I think it is going to be a battle of attrition and I know our chariman Ed Garty wants to win the game as well for personal reasons.

“I just want to get the win and the points.”

And Kimble knows the importance of the Easter weekend with the games running out quickly until the end of the season.

Also, Swifts have been on a good run of form, winning their last five games and beating leaders Needham Market 1-0 last Saturday.

He added: “It’s a big week for the football club.

“The Easter weekend can either make or break teams.

“Hopefully it will make us.

“There are plenty of teams still battling for position down there near the bottom.

“We will approach the derby game as we would any game.

“Sometimes the form book goes out of the window in these games.

“But we just have to worry about ourselves.

“We have five games to go and 15 points are up for grabs and I want to win every one.

“There is a mini-league going on at the bottom end of the table.

“I think we have enough points to secure safety but I am never happy until it is mathematically certain.

“So the sooner that happens the better.

“I am not worried about our defence just about our cutting edge up front.”

“At the moment we haven’t got a cutting edge in front of goal.

“We have only scored two goals in six games.

“We are starting to play the ball on the ground which is good and I want the players to be brave on the ball.

“I just want us to get that win and then we can settle and go on and build for next season.”