Back to work at Stourton Park

Stourbridge return to National League Two action this weekend against Cambridge hoping to build on their opening day win away at Southend.

It seems a long time ago that Rob Petty's coolly struck last minute drop goal clinched Stour's first points of the season three weeks ago.

The squad has filled the unwanted break to their momentum by playing friendly fixtures against Esher, Rosslyn Park and Moseley - but it is return to league rugby, and the first meaningful fixture of the season at Stourton Park, that has been so long-awaited.

Four first team players - Tom Jarvis, James Jenner, James Tideswell and Chris Rowlands - have returned to the squad from England Counties duty and are likely to come in to face second-placed Cambridge, a side that should pose a serious test.They have already beaten much-fancied Henley on their travels and followed that up with a 32-13 home thrashing of Nuneaton, a team now coached by former Coventry boss Mike Umaga.

With results like these, the visitors will provide an early season indicator as to Stour's longer-term credentials.

Strength in depth is not a problem at the club this season and the team's fringe players proved in the recent friendlies that there is plenty of competition for places, especially after this week's performance against a strong Moseley outfit.

Mitchell watched his players lead 13-12 until conceding a last minute try.

He said: "There were some tremendous performances in that game against the side that pretty much got Moseley promoted. It was very encouraging.

"But to think that none of the players from that game are likely to start on Saturday shows how much strength we have."

Supporters at Stourton Park will still have to wait to see Danny Pointon in action.

The scrum-half, who Mitchell said looked "tremendous" in pre-season, is still out for two more weeks. Australian half-back Petty is a certainty to play against Cambridge at 10, especially as first choice fly-halves Dan Lavery and Sam Robinson are still out injured.

Flanker Tom Jordan has been ruled unfit to play and there is also a question mark over the fitness of prop Tideswell, who has stitches in his knee following his England Counties match against France, but he is expected to play.

Cambridge have added a general to their ranks in the signing of former Nuns stand-off Gareth Cole, a deadly accurate kicker. "We must shut him down" said Mitchell. "We are fully expecting them to test us with plenty of high balls."