RELEGATION-threatened Tenbury Town have ‘nothing to lose’ in this weekend’s big Herefordshire Premier derby – while rivals Tenbury United go into it with ‘nothing to prove’.

Town sit rock-bottom of the table, five points adrift, and let a vital victory slip at fellow strugglers Holme Lacy last weekend, losing to two late goals from 1-0 up.

Zack Gittens put Town ahead with 15 minutes left but they could not hold on and joint-boss Dean Morris admits they are approaching the last chance saloon.

But Town came from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 at derby foes United last month and Morris says they are relishing another blood and thunder affair.

He said: “We have nothing to lose really and if we could get a win it would be fantastic. Form goes out of the window in a derby but we have been playing a lot better recently.

“I think we know we are going down but it would be nice to pick up a couple of wins and everyone has been pulling together to try to make that happen.”

On the Holme Lacy defeat, Morris added: “We sat off a bit after we went ahead, which we shouldn’t have done, it invited them on I guess.

“We deserved at least a point, perhaps all three, so to come away with nothing, we were gutted. They are fourth-bottom so those are the kind of games we need to pick up points from.”

United, meanwhile, slipped to 10th after a 5-1 defeat at third-placed Westfields Reserves – a game co-manager Aaron Morris claimed could easily have ended in a draw.

Morris missed an early penalty at 0-0 while Jamie Richards and Ryan Morris hit the woodwork before Mark Boucker finally netted a late spot-kick consolation.

United are keen to bounce back, especially after last month’s draw with Town, but Morris said: “I don’t think we have anything to prove.

“It will be an interesting game because (Town top scorer) Ian Patterson is suspended and he was the man who made them tick in the last game so we are hoping him being out will be a positive for us.”

At the other end of the table, Clee Hill United had a brilliant weekend – without even kicking a ball.

Second-placed United’s home game with Kington Town was called off but Hill’s title rivals Wellington Reserves were thumped 6-2 by Kingstone Rovers.

Clee Hill remain eight points behind but with four games in hand – although United boss Wayne Whitbread said: “I don’t think we can change our mentality from what it was before.

“We need to think we have to win every game – if you change that and think you can afford to lose one, all of a sudden that one becomes two.

“Wellington’s result was a real shock but we still have to play Kingstone twice and when they pull a result out like that you start to think they are better than their league position shows.”

Clee Hill visit fourth-placed Ledbury Town this Saturday.