TROWBRIDGE head coach Dan Jeffries reckons his side’s big-game experience could help transform the Doric Park side from promotion no-hopers to South West league outfit tomorrow.

 

Jeffries’ men head to Oxfordshire side Bicester for a Southern Counties play-off with the prize of a place back in South West One East at stake, after last weekend’s 35-0 success in their final Southern Counties South match of the campaign at Devizes saw them dramatically snatch the runners-up spot behind champions Wimborne.

Trowbridge led at half-time in the derby clash but with second-placed occupants Swanage & Wareham winning 26-10 at fellow play-off challengers Sherborne, the Wiltshire men’s promotion cause seemed lost.

But while they disposed of Devizes, Sherborne launched a superb fightback to take their encounter 29-26, but Trowbridge’s superior points difference securing them the prized play-off spot.

Now Jeffries is hoping his side can take the extra step and see off Southern Counties North runners up Bicester in tomorrow’s encounter, helping him to complete a hat-trick of play-off successes, following Southern Counties and South West success with previous club Salisbury in the past two campaigns.

“We know we can be competitive, but home advantage makes a big difference at this stage,’’ said Jeffries, of the Bicester encounter.

“We thought it was a two-year job (earning promotion), but now we have the chance to get back there this year. We won’t be the favourites, but we’ll give it a good shot.

“There are a lot of guys here who have been in big games like Twickenham (National Intermediate Cup win in 2014) and promotion matches and been successful so I don’t think the occasion will be the issue.

“The whole club is definitely in a better place. The second team have been promoted in their league, we’ve got Colts players coming through and the momentum of the club is really good.

“It’s a National League set-up here and that’s the standard we’ve got to aim for.

Max Day scored a brace of tries against Devizes, Ashley Chalk, Sam Edwards and Lee Fairclough also touching down while Tom Weaver added five conversions.