CLEE Hill United boss Wayne Whitbread wants his side to really pump up the pressure on table-topping Wellington Reserves during the leaders’ enforced absence over the next fortnight.

United’s 3-1 win over Fownhope last weekend kept them 11 points behind Wellington with four games in hand – and the Herefordshire Premier leaders are now without a game for two weeks.

Clee Hill’s schedule during that time is hardly straightforward as they visit improving Kingstone Rovers this Saturday, then host fourth-placed Ledbury Town.

But in a title race with little room for error, Whitbread knows a haul of maximum points over the next two games could be vital.

He said: “We have two very difficult games coming up but it would be nice to get the gap down to five points because 11 still looks a very long way away.

“If we can get it down to five points and still have the games in hand, it looks achievable, but even then it won’t be easy.

“We just have to try to accumulate as many points as we can and see if we can make them slip up – they are looking very strong but they will not be playing regularly from now on.

“We have to hope they drop points and then if we keep winning our games, it’s in our hands.”

In Herefordshire Division One, Orleton came from behind to stay within six points of the top two thanks to Sam Thomas’ equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Ross Juniors.

Elsewhere, Bishops Castle progressed in the Montgomeryshire League’s Tanners Cup with a 3-0 win over Llanfair Reserves through goals from George Mellor, Dan Dawson and Gaz Bromley.

And Brown Clee remain second-bottom of the Shropshire Premier despite a Ryan Garbett double and a Matt Tudor strike in a 5-3 loss at Albrighton.