TAUNTON Town are preparing for a crucial week of league action with the addition of a new face to their coaching set-up.

Steve Perkins will assist head of football Rob Dray, assistant Matt Villis and player/coach Keith Emmerson.

Perkins hails from West Somerset and has managed both Minehead AFC and Watchet Town, before going on to work for the FA and with England Women's Under-20s.

He was in charge at Irnham Road from 2005 to 2008, and for a shorter spell at Watchet, from 2012 to 2013.

Dray said: “He’s a Uefa A Licence coach, and we’ve brought him in as another pair of eyes, to work on specifics and find the fine margins where we can improve.

“He can affect those tiny variables; we have good players here, but he’s a professional coach who comes with the England DNA and some great ideas.”

Taunton will hope Perkins’ eye for detail will make the difference in a tight league play-off chase, with the Peacocks currently second in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division South standings.

This Saturday they go to Farnborough (ko 3pm), and on Wednesday they host third-placed Salisbury (ko 7.45pm).

Dray believes that captain Matt Wright, who missed Saturday's win at Gosport Borough after being on the receiving end of a late tackle from Walton Casuals Joe Hicks the previous Wednesday, will be fit for this coming weekend.

Ollie Chamberlain may have to sit out again, though, despite making good progress with his knee injury.