By David Sillifant
CORNISH All Blacks skipper, Lloyd Duke, admits that his side ‘need to perform’ when they welcome bottom side Clevedon to Polson Bridge on Saturday in South West One (West).
The All Blacks have endured a frustrating month. After being knocked out of the Tribute Cornwall Cup by Wadebridge Camels on February 10, they responded with a 15-15 draw at home to Bideford.
They then concluded February with a rest weekend before last Saturday’s trip to mid-table Bridgwater & Albion fell foul to the weather.
With just six games to go, Duke is hoping that the third-placed All Blacks can consolidate their four-point lead over Newent and admits that they’re desperate to get back on the field.
He said: “We’ve not been in the best form over the last couple of games. It was bad enough to have to wait one week without a game, but to go three weeks seems like a really long time.
“Last time at home we didn’t really impress so we’re determined to make sure we win the game and win it well.
“The aim is to make sure that we finish third and that’s the mini-battle we’re now in until the end of the season. We don’t want the year to just dwindle away and finish fourth or fifth, that’d leave a bit of a sour taste in the mouth to what’s been a pretty good year.”
The All Blacks have three home games and the same number away before they conclude the campaign, and Duke is determined to ensure that no-one apart from Exeter University, who won 20-19 back in December, leaves Cornwall with a taste of victory.
He said: “We’ve only lost one game at home and that’s the maximum we can lose really. The Drybrook game (Saturday, April 7) is a must-win game for us as you’ve got to win your home games.
“We know that Exeter University away is going to be a very tough game but we’ll try and do our best. The league might be out of the equation now but we want to keep winning. Newent won’t give up but if we keep winning at home and do what we can away, then we should hopefully do it.”
On paper, Saturday’s game should be a comfortable victory for the Cornishmen.
The North Somerset side have won just two of their 19 league games to sit 18 points off third bottom Teignmouth and have lost 66-19 and 78-0 on their previous two away trips. But Duke knows that the pressure will be on.
He said: “We obviously go into the game as favourites but we’ve got to live with the pressure and make sure we come away with a good win. Not long ago they beat Drybrook so they’re obviously no mugs and we sort of got out of jail when we played them up there when we won 21-19, so it’s not going to be easy.
“They have one of the best scrums in the league and they like to use that as much as they can. That said, our set-piece is now much better than it was up there and we need to make sure that we’re on it in that area.
“They certainly won’t be taken lightly, especially after our last couple of games, so we need to make sure that we perform this week and give the supporters something to shout about.”
Kick-off at Polson Bridge is at 2.30pm.
The Bencoolen Meadow outfit have endured a fine run of recent form, recording comfortable victories against Plymouth Argaum and Plymstock Albion Oaks before a last-gasp Dave Gregory try gave them a 20-16 victory at Lanner on Saturday, February 24.
Like the vast majority of the local sport last weekend, their home game against promotion-chasing Saltash fell foul to the weather as they try and chase down fourth-placed Honiton.
Their three-match winning streak has cemented fifth place in the table, although they’re still 11 points off fourth.