BASINGSTOKE RFC chairman of playing, Steve Parker, believes that Saturday's visit of Warlingham offers his side a good chance to claim their first win of the season.

Stoke are seven points adrift at the bottom of London Two South West after being hit with a five-point deduction held over from last season and losing their opening three games of the new campaign.

This week sees 10th-placed Warlingham, a side who have lost two of their first three games, pay a visit to Down Grange – and it's a game that Parker is targeting.

"Saturday is our best opportunity yet to get that first win," Stoke's chairman of playing said. "We have played some good sides so far, but we are at home and are expecting a big crowd.

"The lads look sharp in training and I am expecting a good performance."

Basingstoke's latest defeat came away at Effingham and Leatherhead on Saturday, the visitors going down 33-7.

Captain Robbie Northcote got the Basingstoke try, crashing over from close range after being put in by Mikey Jacobs.

The visitors were competitive throughout the match, but lost the game during a loose 20-minute spell, with Effingham crossing the line three times.

Parker said: "There is no panic because we can see the improvements on the pitch. We have got good numbers at training and there is a good atmosphere around the squad.

"We are improving week-on-week in terms of how we are playing, but we need to get more consistency in selection, which we are finding difficult due to the World Cup.

"Once we get some consistency in selection, I think we will be a different team.

"The good news is that we are scoring points, which we were not doing at the back end of last season. We just need to tighten up at the back and are working hard on our defence.

"We have a lot of new players, who do not know our patterns or each other, but they are working hard to settle in."

Basingstoke will be without the injured James Savine on Saturday, while Thomas Barnes is also out after breaking his leg in training on Tuesday.

However, the club has been boosted by the return of experienced centre David Byett and prop Jon Bird.