CHESTER City last night increased their offer for the Telford United pair of central defender Jim Bentley and midfielder Gary Fitzpatrick.
The Shropshire club turned down City's initial joint bid of £20,000 for the duo, but Chester chairman Stephen Vaughan upped the offer last night.
"I certainly won't be held to ransom, but we have faxed a revised bid to Telford, and hopefully this time it will be successful," said Vaughan. "Another player we are trying for is the Lincoln City striker, Dave Cameron.
"Mark Wright is targeting the players he wants and we are trying our best to improve the squad before our next Conference game against Barnet on Saturday."
City visit Stourbridge Swifts in an FA Umbro Trophy third-round replay tonight. The sides drew 1-1 at the Deva Stadium on Saturday.
Paul Carden, who missed the weekend game because of suspension, returns to the squad while reserve goalkeeper Stuart Jones could make his first-team debut in place of out-of-form Wayne Brown.
Manager Mark Wright is aware of the task facing his side.
"It won't be easy. It's a bumpy ground and there will only be a small crowd there, but we must battle if we are going to achieve a positive result."
The winners host Solihull Borough on Saturday, February 2.
Meanwhile, City's Nationwide Conference fixture against Scarborough, scheduled for February 2, has been rearranged for Tuesday, February 12 (7.45pm), because of Scarborough's involvement in the fourth round of the Trophy.
CHESTER CITY (from): W. Brown, S. Jones, Woodyat, Spink, Jenkins, Lancaster, M. Rose, Carden, Blackburn, Porter, M. O'Brien, Beesley, D. Brown, Haarhoff, Collins, Wright, C. O'Brien...SUPL:
