Skipper Sam Cooke accepts that any points Spalding RFC can manage to pick up against Ashbourne will be a big bonus to their Midlands Two East (North) survival bid.
Two of Town’s remaining six games this season are against the fourth-placed outfit, starting with a trip to Derbyshire this Saturday (2.15pm).
Ashbourne remain very much in the title picture with games in hand on the top three, while Spalding’s goal is simply to collect enough points to stave off what would be a second successive relegation.
Saturday’s 7-5 home reverse against mid-table Southwell (see page 46) was something of a setback for the Elephants, who had targeted the game as one of four potential wins that should keep them up.
They’ll be hoping to recover that lost ground an Ashbourne side that haven’t lost at home in the league all season, but Cooke accepts that it’s going to be tough for his charges.
“To lose by two points last weekend was a sickener,” admitted the Spalding skipper. “We had a chance to kick a penalty in the second half, but the truth is we don’t have a genuine kicker fit at present.
“Maybe it’s my fault, I should have forced one of the lads to have a go.
“But that’s gone now, we need to take the positives. Southwell racked up 50 points against us earlier in the season, so our improvement is clear.
“That one losing bonus point we got could also be key at the end of the season.
“Ashbourne is a very different challenge. We’ve almost got to look at the two games against them as the chance to pick up a few bonus points.
“I know every dog has its day and we’ll certainly not go there expecting to lose, but they are a good side.
“I’m very much looking forward to playing there, but I’m not going to lie, the two games against them are the hardest of our run-in.”
Town have a chance to pile the pressure on chief relegation rivals Mansfield this weekend.
They are without a game, so any points they can collect will extend the three-point cushion Spalding currently boast.
However, the Elephants will have to do without the influential Harry Sharman, who is unavailable.
Fly-half James West also remains an absentee, with Cooke admitting that he’s been a “massive miss” for his side in recent weeks.
