Chelmsford City players have been given a big incentive to win their next three Dr Martens League Southern Division matches because the nine points will put them back up among the other promotion hopefuls.

"To a degree it's all in our own hands because with the other leading contenders now playing each other we simply have to keep winning and pick up the points," said City manager Gary Bellamy.

"If Margate and Folkestone in particular drop points in the next week or so it changes everything for the final run in."

City face Erith & Belvedere on Saturday at New Lodge (kick off 3pm) and go into Docklands on Easter Monday to take on Fisher Athletic (kick off 3pm) before returning to entertain lowly Andover the following Saturday.

"The lads know there is no cause for complacency and after such a great show against a more experienced Dartford on Monday their confidence is high," Bellamy added.

City will be without leading goalscorer Ian Cambridge only on Saturday, he is suspended for one match, but making a return to the squad will be both John Girling, (recovered from a virus) and Barry Lakin, back from a four match ban.

Tesfaye Bramble, injured and substituted against Dartford, will also return.

"The pressure is not on us so we can just get on and play our football," Bellamy said.

"I thought we dominated the Dartford game and should have been four or five goals up by half time. The key was for the players not to become anxious, particularly after a couple of drawn games."

Off the field the manager confirmed that Bramble will continue training with Spurs and play for City until the end of the season when his prospective transfer is expected to be completed.

Despite further pressure from Cambridge City boss Chris Tovey, who now has his side deep in Premier Division relegation trouble lying second from bottom, City's Ian Cambridge looks set to stay at Chelmsford.

Extremely popular with supporters and already set to become the division's top scorer this season, City have made it clear they want him to stay on for next season.

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