MARTIN Lloyd admits it is hard to stop looking too far ahead after Swindon College Old Boys lifted the Dorset and Wilts Senior Vase.

The Pipers Way outfit defeated Weymouth and Portland 20-12 at Warminster’s Folly Lane on Saturday to put them three steps away from Twickenham.

The unbeaten Berks, Bucks and Oxon Premier leaders now face league rivals Slough in the Southern Counties final in the new year as they defeated Drifters on penalty kicks after the game ended 25-25.

While Lloyd is taking nothing for granted, he believes that his team should be able to reach the next stage.

“If we had been playing Drifters, who are second in our league, we would have been confident as we beat them 56-12 a few weeks ago,” said Lloyd.

“We haven’t played Slough yet, I know when we do it will be a tough game but they are a little further down the table.

“I think it is realistic to think we can make the South West final and then after that, who knows?

“It is difficult not to think too far ahead but we are now just three matches away from Twickenham.”

On Saturday, Lloyd said that he was delighted with how his team came through what was a tough battle against the Dorset and Wilts One South outfit as tries from Florin Palcau, Charlie Grabe and Adam Reeves seeing them to victory.

“They (Weymouth) were a difficult side to breakdown,” Lloyd added.

“Their defence was first class and held us up on half a dozen occasions when we looked like scoring.

“We played well ourselves, in fact, we probably played some of the best rugby we have this season.

“It was a true team effort, we had seven replacements and we used all of them.

“Weymouth were good in the scrum, but Steve Oxley, Gareth Davies and Liam Davies really held their own to keep parity.

“But I think where we did dominate them was at the lineout. Damon Murphy was superb and turned a lot of their ball over.”

Two seasons ago, College were beaten in the last eight of the Senior Vase by Devon side Withycombe 41-20.

“When the club is doing well the atmosphere is very positive,” Lloyd said.

“Suddenly you get more people at training and everyone is pushing hard to get into the side and players who have got the shirts are working that little bit extra to make sure that they keep them.

“It is great to be successful in the cup but our aim is to make sure that we are promoted this season.”