Bourne Town are hoping to reignite their season in their first Saturday match of the league campaign at the Abbey Lawn this weekend.

The Wakes have so far played all four of their home matches this term in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division in midweek while having just two weekend matches at the JJ Mac Stadium in the FA Cup and FA Trophy.

Their cup exploits mean Bourne have a number of matches in hand on the teams around them in the lower reaches of the league table.

They are just two points clear of the relegation zone ahead of Saturday's home match with Barwell who can leapfrog the Wakes with victory following Bourne's midweek loss at Shepshed Dynamo.

Boss Dan Flack said: "It's a massive game. It's really big for us.

"It's all well and good having games in hand, but if you don't win them, then they become irrelevant.

"It's our first league game of the season on a Saturday, and if we play like we did in the first half on Tuesday, then I think we'll be alright.

"Good teams do it all the time though and we haven't been doing it. We can't just be a cup team that does it in a one-off.

"When something's working, we just seem to get bored of doing it and think that we're better than we are."

Bourne ended a run of five successive away games on Tuesday night when they went down to a 3-1 home defeat to Shepshed.

Despite taking an early lead through Zac Allen, the Wakes were pegged back before half-time with Shepshed scoring twice more after the break.

Flack added: "It was really disappointing.

"We were back at home where we've got a good record. We didn't want to lose here and I thought we were really in it with the way that the first half went.

"We looked back to where we are but we didn't show up in the second half. We weren't doing the things that had got us the draw in the first half. We were just very passive.

"Our fans had travelled to Loughborough and Bedworth to watch us when we were disappointing so we needed to show them something."

Bourne are in the midst of a major injury crisis which isn't helping their cause as they aim to halt a three-match losing streak.

Robbie Ellis, Lewis Darlington, Brad Marshall, Charlie Brooks, Richard Jones, Harry McLoughlin and Jaxon Blankley were all absent from the midweek reversal.

The loss of key defensive personnel has hit the Wakes who have shipped 12 goals in their last three league games with Shepshed netting on the back of three set pieces in their midweek win.

Flack said: "The game started really well with a well-worked goal but then they came into it and put it on us like we knew they would.

"If you don't attack the ball or try to win it without it bouncing then you're going to be in trouble because that's what happened.

"It was like we didn't want to get hurt or put our head in during the build-up to the first goal.

"I thought we were then the better side for the rest of the first half and Zac looked threatening every time he got in behind.

"But we've come out for the second half and then conceded after one long throw and a corner.

"It's not an excuse but when you're missing the height of Charlie Brooks, Brad Marshall and Robbie Ellis then teams really capitalise on it.

"We can't coach desire though or a willingness to head the ball. That has to come from within."

Bourne are also in action at the JJ Mac Stadium on Tuesday night when they welcome Mickleover.