Alton manager Kevin Adair is hoping Saturday’s A31 derby against Farnham Town can ignite his side’s season.

The Brewers fell to a last-minute 3-2 defeat at home to Sheerwater in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Saturday, and head into the Farnham game in poor form after losing their past four league games.

Alton earned a creditable 2-2 draw at Farnham in the reverse fixture – a result they backed up with a 2-0 win against Camberley in their next match – and Adair hopes a positive result in this Saturday’s encounter at Anstey Park can spark his side to go on an unbeaten run.

“We’ve got a tough run of games coming up but there are no easy games at this level,” he said.

“Our next game is Farnham at home, and the game at Farnham ignited our best performance of the season when we went there.

“We’d had a bit of a tough run before that game, so hopefully this can trigger the same, but we need a reaction after Sheerwater.”

Alton are sitting in 14th place in the Combined Counties Premier Division South table after their four-game losing run, and Adair is aware of the need to start picking up results soon to turn his side’s form around.

“I’m fighting a battle for myself because I want the club to be as successful as possible in a results way as well as developing players – which obviously is key to the future success of the club,” he said.

“But obviously the here and now is what I am dealing with and things have got to change.”

Bragging rights will be at stake when Alton and Farnham meet in the A31 derby on Saturday, and while Adair is aware of the significance of the fixture he insisted he sees it as just another game.

“The Farnham games are what everyone spoke about when they moved us back into the Combined Counties,” said Adair.

“For me it means no more than what Sheerwater meant to me, because each game we go out to try to get three points, and again we’ll set out at home to try to get three points. If we carry out instructions, make good decisions and are disciplined we’ll have a chance – if we don’t then who knows what can happen?”

Farnham boss Paul Johnson is hoping his side can build some momentum against Alton after Saturday’s impressive 3-2 win at league leaders Abbey Rangers.

Johnson is expecting a tough encounter at Anstey Park, but wants his side to produce a strong performance.

“We always want to back up a good result, but it’s never that easy,” he said.

“We want to be hitting our levels and building some momentum towards the end of this season and into next season.”