Grantham Town host Rugby Town in the Northern Premier League

Interim manager Paul Rawden is calling on his Grantham Town players to maintain their work-rate and commitment to the cause ahead of a crucial league clash for the Gingerbreads on Saturday.

Rawden's charges host Rugby Town at the Meres in a vital Northern Premier League Midlands Division match at the lower end of the table.

Just three points separates the two teams going into the match with Grantham now back in the relegation zone after briefly moving out following the withdrawal from the division of Walsall Wood.

All of the points accrued by the West Midlands club have been expunged from the table and, although it briefly lifted Grantham out of the danger zone, they now find themselves third-from-bottom after last Saturday's matches.

Rugby boosted their bid to beat the drop with a 3-1 away win at Lye Town while Grantham were losing 1-0 away at Boldmere St Michaels.

Rawden said: "We didn't do enough to win the game last Saturday but, equally on the balance of play, a draw could have been a fair result.

"I can't fault the endeavour and commitment. The players showed that they can roll their sleeves up and be prepared to fight.

"We've got to keep doing that because it's getting really tight down there.

"Anybody can beat anybody but we do need to recruit one or two players that can maybe turn those 1-0 defeats or 0-0 draws into victories for us."

Grantham have permanently secured the services of defender AJ Adelekan from East Division side Cleethorpes Town.

Former Barnsley midfielder Jack Butterfill also featured for Grantham on Saturday after joining on loan from Southern League Premier Division Central neighbours Stamford.

Rodgrigo Goncalves has departed the club along with Amir Ward who has returned to Wisbech Town following a brief spell with the Gingerbreads.

Full-back Louis Nicholson has also moved on this week after landing a higher level move to step three of the non-league pyramid.

Nicholson came on as a second half substitute for Grantham last weekend in their narrow defeat at Boldmere.

A goal just before half-time was enough to defeat Grantham despite a display that gave Rawden cause for optimism.

He commented: "I thought we had done well up until the first goal. We had dragged them into a game and there was a real competitiveness about us.

"Although it wasn't a great spectacle, it was quite exciting to see the players putting tackles in.

"We huffed, puffed and scrapped and, although I was disappointed to lose the game, I was happy with the performance just based on the work-rate and endeavour."

Tui Sanches struck the winning goal late in the first half with Grantham unable to find an equaliser despite Sam Muggleton forcing a fine save from the home goalkeeper.

The Gingerbreads have netted the fewest goals in the division this season after scoring just 12 times in their 15 league outings.

Rawden said: "We turned over possession a little bit too cheaply on Saturday and the quality of the final pass or build-up just wasn't good enough.

"We don't build the pressure for long enough periods or land on enough second balls.

"We didn't control that next bit of football and only had scrappy chances.

"It was a tough game for both sets of players though and I think they were relieved to get the win because we had a right go in the last five minutes.

"A draw would have been a fair result on the balance of play but sometimes you don't get what you deserve."