Published: Tuesday, 2nd February, 2010 1:00pm

Tough trip for Royalists

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Football

WINDSOR & Eton make the long 130mile round trip to the VT Group Sportsground in Southampton on Tuesday evening looking to further extend their lead at the top of Southern League Division One South & West, writes Robert Stevens.

Keith Scott's men put their defeat in the quarter finals of the Berks & Bucks Cup by Wycombe Wanderers behind them at the weekend with a 1-0 victory against AFC Hayes, and, with AFC Totton's game at Abingdon United postponed increased their lead to 14 points.

Tuesday's opponents started the season, their first in the Southern League, extremely well winning five of their first six but the, 'boatmen's' form has slipped of late.

Dave Diaper's side have lost three of their last seven matches including their last two home games. On Saturday they hosted Paulton Rovers and despite going 2-0 up, lost the game 4-2.

However, they are still only three points off the play-offs with at least three games in hand on the teams above them.

The two clubs have not met in recent history but results favour the 'Royalists' as VT have only picked up three of a possible 12 points against teams currently in the top five.

VT FC's biggest goal threat could come from their Captain Kevin Gibbons, a former Southampton and Oxford United midfielder who has netted 14 times in all competitions so far this season.