Godmanchester Rovers boss Matt Clements has refused to rule his team out of the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division title race ahead of a showdown against table-topping reigning champions Norwich United this Saturday.

Clements’ side travel to Norfolk fully 20 points adrift of the leaders in the standings, but they boast three matches in hand and won’t wave the white flag in the championship chase.

They will also be buoyed by a 3-0 thumping of United in the reverse fixture a couple of months ago as well as the fact they will be facing a team without a manager. Norwich United boss Damian Hilton left the club this week to take over at higher-level Wroxham.

Clements said: “It is an important game and I’m sure it will be an interesting one as well.

“We beat Norwich comfortably at our place and they are certain to want to avenge that result.

“But we go into this fixture with nothing to lose, just as we did the home match.

“We’ve won four league games in a row and we’ve scored a lot of goals in the process despite seeing a couple of big players move on.

“Of course it is Norwich United’s title to lose, but we need to put ourselves into the best possible position in case they slip up.

“That is not beyond the realms of possibility whereas we know we are capable of stringing a good run of results together.

“The title race isn’t over, but the main thing is making sure we get ourselves up into second spot to equal what was achieved last season.”

Rovers have hit 20 goals in the process of reeling off four successive Premier Division wins.

Half-a-dozen of those arrived last Saturday in a 6-1 romp at Fakenham – the perfect outcome in their first match since the departure of 27-goal top-scorer James Hall to Cambridge City.

Micky Hyem seized the scoring mantle with a four-goal haul which included two expertly-taken free-kicks, a clever individual effort and a penalty. He also hit the woodwork.

Tom Spark bagged the other two Goddy goals during a performance that left Clements purring.

He added: “We controlled both halves of a wind-affected game and double the number of goals we did manage would not have flattered us.

“It was as good a performance as we have produced all season. Micky was exceptional in a terrific team display.”

Clements does intend to draft in another attacking player following the departure of Hall. He is in discussions with Cambridge United over a possible work experience loan.

Rovers man Luke Seaber-Shinn is to dual-sign with United Counties League Division One side Potton to gain more regular football.