BASINGSTOKE RFC will look to make amends for a defeat earlier in the season when they travel to Tring this weekend.

When the sides met at Down Grange, it was a bad day at the office for the home side as they lost 28-7. They will be out to avenge this defeat on Saturday.

’Stoke suffered a 30-29 injury time loss at Westcombe Park last weekend, but Basingstoke RFC director of rugby James Croker said: “We scored five tries to their three and the players were gutted afterwards.

“We still have things to work on, but performance-wise, we are getting better each week.”

The two points ’Stoke picked up from the loss at Westcombe Park moved them 11 points clear of the relegation zone and Barnes.

These two sides meet at Down Grange, a week on Saturday, for a showdown that looks set to decide which team will play in National League Three London next season an.

For the trip to Tring, ’Stoke will be boosted by the return of fly-half Adam Davies, while Steve Osborne, Freddie Gleadowe, Tim Richards and Tim Coghlan will face fitness tests ahead of the game.

Croker said: “We know Tring have a couple of strike runners who we need to stop, and I think we can do this.

“We have to play to our systems for the full 80 minutes as last week in the middle of the second-half we went off script and Westcombe came back into the game.”

Croker added: “We will go there looking to win as you would expect Barnes to win at home to Thurrock. This will then set up a big game between us the following week.”