APPROACHING the second half of the season with 'lots still to play for,' the town's top two football teams are both aiming high.Starting 2009 on top of the Ridgeons League Premier Division, as well as still being in the last 32 of the FA Vase and the semi-final of the Suffolk Premier Cup, Lowestoft Town are intent on improving their fine run of form.

APPROACHING the second half of the season with 'lots still to play for,' the town's top two football teams are both aiming high.

Starting 2009 on top of the Ridgeons League Premier Division, as well as still being in the last 32 of the FA Vase and the semi-final of the Suffolk Premier Cup, Lowestoft Town are intent on improving their fine run of form.

Micky Chapman's men will kick-start their trophy quest tomorrow with another intriguing north Suffolk derby.

After overcoming near neighbours Kirkley and Pakefield 2-1 in front of an amazing 1,523 fans at Crown Meadow last Saturday, the Blues are looking forward to a 'huge' game tomorrow against third-placed Leiston at the Victory Road ground.

'It's only a short journey down the A12 and from what I'm hearing we could take a couple of hundred fans down there with us,' Chapman told The Journal.

'It will be tough, we know that, because Leiston are a very good side. They have got a lot of games in hand but then we have got the points on the board and I know what position I'd rather be in.

'We have a great, exciting few months ahead of us,' Chapman admitted.

Lowestoft are also in midweek action next Tuesday, with a home game against lowly Norwich United.

Meanwhile, over the Bascule Bridge, fourth placed Kirkley and Pakefield are also intent on striving for further improvement in the Premier Division, as Nick Shorten's men aim to consolidate a place in the top six.

Despite last week's derby reverse, the KP Royals have had a fine recent run, which has motored them up the table - and they'll be looking to maintain this.

A reflective Nick Shorten admitted that he thought his side deserved a point from their derby display, but admitted that the Lowestoft squad had the 'strength in depth' to stay at the top of the table for the rest of the season.

'We can come out of this derby game with a lot of credit,' Shorten told The Journal. 'In the last four seasons we have gone from a side that was given no chance in this fixture to a side that is now expected to compete.

'Looking ahead to 2009 we will concentrate on a top six finish and strive to make this the fourth season where we improve our position.'

K&P are without a match tomorrow, due to the representative Suffolk U18 game. They will be aiming to bounce back and kick-start their campaign on Wednesday when they entertain Woodbridge at Walmer Road.