SUCCESS is growing on Swindon College Old Boys head coach Mark Lea as he prepares for the biggest game in the club’s history.

Lea has been nurturing a beard since his side won the Dorset and Wilts Final at the beginning of December and won’t be shaving until College are knocked out of the cup.

With his side two wins from playing at Twickenham, Lea is hoping that he won’t have to get his shaver out this weekend when his side face Withycombe in the South West Division Senior Vase Regional Final.

“It started as a challenge to the lads when we won the Dorset and Wilts Final,” said Lea “I said that I would grow my beard as long as they remained in the cup and three rounds and many months later, my beard now resembles something that field mice might nest in.

“My kids and partner Laura hate it, but it’s staying as I guess it’s now become a superstition.”

This is undoubtedly the biggest game the club have had, but they could go into it without their captain and talisman Gareth Davis who was red carded last weekend against Slough. However College are challenging the suspension as a case of mistaken identity ahead of the game.

Injuries picked up on their long cup run, which started at the beginning of September, still hamper Lea’s selection but he is confident that whoever is picked will be up to the challenge with competition for places at an all time high.

“This is the biggest game in our club’s history,” added Lea, who is looking for a good start to the match at Nationwide Pavilion.

“I expect our teams to give 100% in every game, but the rewards are there to see and you can’t dismiss that now.

“Abingdon gave us a real test in the last round. It was a wake-up call, telling us we better start better this weekend.

“Teams we come up against now have progressed through the rounds so will obviously be organised, and good sides.

“Some of the committee is getting carried away with the prospect of a game at Twickenham.

“Our job as coaches is to keep the lads focussed on the game ahead - so we only really want the lads thinking about Withycombe at the moment.

“As opposition gets better you have to accept there will be periods of the game where they will have control. What’s important is that the lads don’t panic and stick together as a tight team and go through the processes that have got us this far.”