Three wins from five games – that’s the target for St Ives Town to complete their play-off mission.

Promotion-chasing Saints endured a disappointing Easter when only able to add one point to their Southern League Division One (Central) tally from two games.

They tumbled to a 4-2 home defeat at the hands of fellow play-off hopefuls Chalfont St Peter last Saturday before being held to a goalless draw at Bedford Town on Monday.

But they remain fourth in the standings and boast a six-point buffer over the side immediately outside the play-off zone.

Speaking ahead of a home date against Ware today, Marheineke said: “We set a target of 77 points at the start of the season. We find ourselves nine points off that so three more wins is the goal.

“Obviously it is a case of the quicker we get them, the better. But as long as we reach that tally we are confident we will be in the top five.

“If we don’t quite make it to 77, then we’ll have to rely on points being dropped elsewhere.

“It looks like it is going to go down to the wire and we just need to focus on our own results.”

Marheineke has an injury headache at right-back with Scott Sinclair facing a late fitness test on a knee problem.

Another man who can operate in that position, Harry O’Malley, is only just due to return to training after 12 weeks out so Danny Moyes may have to fill in as he did in the second period of a goalless draw at Bedford.

Midfielder Jack Higgs will return though after missing the Easter matches.

ST IVES TOWN RUN-IN

APRIL

Sat 2: Ware (H)

Sat 9: Beaconsfield SYCOB (A)

Sat 16: Barton Rovers (H)

Tue 19: Aylesbury (A)

Sat 23: North Greenford (A)

* Saints also face Eynesbury in the Hunts Senior Cup final at St Neots Town FC on April 13.