Totts will not be messing around (From Daily Echo)

Minor change suits them for tough trip

11:33am Friday 11th February 2011 in Rugby By Clive Downton

Tottonians make one minor change to their side as they face a second tough away trip within a week.

Barry Collins has reclaimed the loosehead prop place for the London 2 South-West battle against London Cornish.

Coach Gavin Williams says a little tweak to the pattern of play and fielding a settled side is paying off.

“The forwards have been playing extremely well and are providing the attacking platform the backs need to strike from. The slight shift in emphasis in the way we play is really suiting the players and their confidence is evident in training and in performances.

“The run in to the end of the season gets no easier but we are relishing the challenge and trust in ourselves to be successful.”

Trojans’ good run has put them right on Tottonians’ shoulders, and the Stoneham Lane side will be taking nothing for granted when they battle against bottom side Weybridge Vandals.

Coach Barry Bridgman said: “It’s all going well at the moment. I think we have now won eight out of nine. The only thing is we cannot close down the bonus point, but in saying that I would rather be winning without it than losing.

“From now on it’s a matter of keeping the momentum going and keeping the lads wanting to train and play and not get complacent. We need to keep the will to be in the top two at the end of the season.

“Teams from the bottom of the league are fighting for their lives at this time of the season and we will treat the game as if we are playing teams from the top three.”

Gosport & Fareham have to take on Twickenham twice over the next four weeks. Gos head north in confident mood tomorrow for a game that was postponed in December due to the snow.

Jamie Daly said: “The squad is in a very positive frame of mind after the win over Vandals when all the players performed well.

“The win was a culmination of good training sessions and the fact that the players have begun to believe in their abilities which showed on Saturday when they scored eight tries, some of which were excellent.”

Winchester travel to south London aware that defeat could hand Old Alleynians their third place position in London 3 South West.

The Old Boys are just two points behind Winchester who travel to Dulwich on the back of a confidence building 51-8 victory over Old Wimbledonians last weekend.

Having given debuts to three new players last Saturday, coach Andy Fields introduces another new face in the pack against Old Alleynians, John Doyle joining Tom Pervin in the second row in the absence of Adam Grant and skipper Campbell Ettinger.

It will be Winchester’s first tilt at Old Alleynians who have a 50 per cent success record at home this season. Winchester’s superior bonus point tally gives them the edge but a victory on Dulwich Common could open a five-point gap on those threatening their top three place.