Havant can ensure that the London 1 promotion contest is reduced to just themselves and county rivals Basingstoke, should they deliver a win at third-placed Staines.

But that will rely upon the Down Grangers seeing off a wayward London Nigerians, who after looking likely to be a candidate in the shake-up have dropped away and nestled in mid-table sixth place.

Dave Cook's side have a couple of injury worries to contend with but recall fly-half Stephen Claffey, who was skiing when his side won their re-arranged league clash with Cambridge last weekend.

Nineteen players are named as Cook awaits the verdict on the casualties, but knows whatever side takes the field in south-west London will have to perform better than they did six days ago in East Anglia.

Wins for the Hampshire duo will stretch the chasm to at least four, while Havant will be ten points ahead of any side in third.

At the other end, Winchester has a must win match at basement side Cambridge. Anything short of victory will make their relegation survival considerably harder.

With the news that the possibility of five or more sides being demoted at the end of the London 4 South-West campaign is likely, Trojans have to put some distance between themselves and the fluctuating drop zone.

They are currently eighth within the five-team two-point logjam, and host Farnham at Stoneham Lane, hoping to overturn the close defeat the Surrey side gave them earlier in the season.

Coach Richard Cheal was pleased despite the defeat at Barnes last week and hopes his charges will post a necessary brace of points into the pot.

Andy Morris and Jon Hyde make up the front row with JP Cooke, while Neil Andrews starts at full-back in place of James Pennington.

Totts know the ball is in their court if they are to maintain their hopes of overhauling Barnes, and start the chase with a visit to sixth-placed Old Emanuel minus a couple of injury victims from their wet weather cup tussle with Gosport & Fareham.

Martin Goodall is away, so regular full-back Guy Tonkins wears ten, giving his normal shirt to 19-year-old Lee Brading. Julian Howell is also recalled for the injured Dave Lamb on the wing.

Miles Northover, who also returns to lead the side, knows what is required: "We are definitely up for this game, and despite the recent results, all are on a high at the moment.

"Training has gone well and we took the positives from the Barnes game, working on the opportunities we missed.

"Emanuel will be tough. They proved that when we beat them at our place earlier and we have a slightly disarranged back line but we can come through."

London 2 promotion hopefuls Portsmouth name two new signings in their side to face struggling Gravesend, in the shape of Stuart McLaughlin, who returns to the club after a spell at Worthing.

Jim Hyde, a serviceman from HMS Collingwood takes a seat on the replacements' bench, having moved to the area recently. He has played for Chester and Macclesfield in the north leagues, so brings plentiful experience with him.

Gosport & Fareham are definitely without their skipper Simon Burns and Army full-back Dave Goddard for the visit of Sevenoaks. Both picked up injuries against Eastbourne; Burns has a broken hand while Goddard bruised his kidneys.