SWINDON College Old Boys head coach Mark Lea admits that he has had to keep his players calm ahead of tomorrow’s Dorset and Wilts Vase final against Blandford at North Dorset.

The Bucks/Berks and Oxon Premier Division side will head into the game as slight favourites, but Lea says that it is difficult to gauge the differences between the two outfits.

Blandford currently sit in third place in Dorset and Wilts One South -the equivalent level of College - but have suffered three defeats.

Lea says having read a number of reports on tomorrow’s opponents, he is expecting them to be strong up front.

“They have scored a number of tries off the rolling maul from line-outs,” Lea said. “So you would expect them to be pretty strong in that area.

“But I’m more than confident with my pack – they are a match for anyone.

“The forwards and our defensive work this season has been awesome. It has just been our backs that haven’t got fully-firing yet – hopefully Saturday will be the time that it happens.”

The match, which was originally set to be played at Royal Wootton Bassett’s Ballard’s Ash before the teams finally agreed on playing at Gillingham-based North Dorset.

“They complained that we were only three miles away from the ground – now we have to go all the way down there and they are just 17 miles away from where we playing. But we get on with it,” Lea said.

“This match isn’t the focus of our season but it is always nice to be in a final and try to win some silverware.

“We have had good numbers at training all season so what we do is if the players who had the shirt the previous week performed, then they will start the following week.

“On Saturday, it will be first time this season that we will have the same starting XV.

“One thing we have had to do this week is keep the boys calm. Sometimes it can be hard to get players up for certain games.

“But the message will be for the boys to keep calm and maintain their discipline.”

Royal Wootton Bassett are also in action tomorrow as they travle to Alchester in Southern Counties North.

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