TAUNTON Town head of football Rob Dray has called for a sense of perspective as his side prepare to host Beaconsfield Town at Wordsworth Drive tonight (Wed, 7.45pm).

The Peacocks are on a three-match winless run which has seen their lead at the top cut to four points having played two games more than second-placed Weymouth, but Dray was keen to draw attention to the bigger picture.

"We have not become a bad team," Dray said.

"I think it's important to take a step back and look at how far we have come.

"I have been in the job for four months, the club has been at this level for only a little longer than that, and we are top at the start of the new year.

"We got to the final qualifying round of the FA Cup, we had crowds of nearly 1,500 over the Christmas games and we are battling against some big clubs now - Weymouth and Salisbury are chasing us."

Taunton were due to visit Salisbury on Saturday in what would have been a crunch game in the title race, but that has been postponed as the Whites are in FA Trophy action having defeated Braintree on Tuesday night.

That means the Peacocks have a 10-day wait to return to action after tonight's match, with Gosport Borough the visitors on January 19.

Looking ahead to the visit of eighth-placed Beaconsfield, Dray said: "I like it when the games come thick and fast as it doesn't give you too much time to reflect on what has gone before, you can just get straight back at it.

"They have had a tough couple of games and midweek is a good time to bring sides from London down."

Ryan Brett and Ben Adelsbury, who were both on the bench with minor injuries on Saturday, are both in contention to return to the starting XI, while Colchester United loanee Chandler Hallett is set to continue in goal.

You can follow all the action tonight as it happens with the County Gazette live blog - see countygazette.co.uk/sport from 7.30pm.