Derby D-Day (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Derby D-Day

1:00pm Thursday 25th February 2010 in

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JIM Kelly says he’ll have no trouble motivating his players ahead of their key Hampshire derby with Havant this weekend.

The Basingstoke RFC head coach is looking forward to Saturday’s National Three London clash at Down Grange (kick-off 3pm), which is doubling up as a Hampshire Cup semi-final.

Just a single point currently separates fifth-placed ’Stoke from sixth-placed Havant in the league table, while the north Hampshire outfit are the holders of the county cup after beating Saturday’s opponents on their own ground in last year’s final.

“There is no shortage of incentive,” Kelly said. “There should be a big crowd and there is a lot of history between the sides.

“If we beat them, there’ll be a bit of daylight between us in the table. Add to that the fact that it is a Hampshire Cup semi-final, it’s one of our local rivals in Havant and them beating us at their place earlier in the season, and there is plenty in the pot.”

Both teams go into the game off the back of heavy defeats, with ’Stoke having gone down 58-0 at Jersey and Havant losing 67-0 at Bracknell last weekend.

Havant won 29-9 when the sides met in south Hampshire back in September, but Kelly said his side learned some important lessons that day.

“Havant are a big side and if we let them build up momentum and get on the front foot, they will get confidence and look to apply more pressure,” he said.

“We have got to vary our play and move them around, which they will not like.”

Basingstoke have struggled for form so far this year, losing three out of five since the start of 2010.

Kelly puts this down to the disruption caused by the cold snap but believes his team are capable of winning every game between now and the end of the season.

“The trip to Old Albanians will be especially tough but I believe we can win every game we have left,” he said.

“We are a confidence team, as we proved before Christmas when we went on a good run. We just need to get back up and running again because there is a gap |opening up above us.

“A fair position for us would be fourth or fifth, while a good one would be third.”

Kelly is hoping to welcome back prop Neil Young, who was unavailable last week, while a new second row has been signed from Redingensians and could come into the team.

However, he will be without hooker Jamie Folan, who has a back problem, while dangerous winger Glen Lewis is a doubt after picking up an injury in the warm-up at Jersey.