Things are looking up for Sheppey Rugby Club after a long period of struggle.

They made it three wins in a row with last Saturday’s 57-0 thumping of Erith, a result which saw coach Frank Davis’ side move out of the bottom two in Kent 1 for the first time this season.

Davis said: "Full credit to the players. I have been critical of them at times during what has been a tough couple of years but they are now beginning to show what they are capable of.

"They are playing with more commitment, desire and self-belief and it’s great to see, not just for the coaches but also for our supporters who have stuck with us through the tough times."

Fellow strugglers Erith were swept aside at The Ditch after Davis picked what he described as "a monster pack". He added: "The great majority of rugby games nowadays are won up front and our pack was awesome on Saturday, which meant we were in control throughout.

"Our man-of-the-match was Dave Dewis and that tells you something when a loose-head prop is man-of-the-match in such a high-scoring game."

Sheppey visit bottom-of-the-table HSBC at Beckenham on Saturday knowing that another victory, combined with a defeat for Beccehamians at second-placed Cranbrook, will see Davis’ side move another place away from the relegation zone.

Sheppey beat HSBC 15-7 at The Ditch in November and will fancy their chances of completing the double.

"HSBC have probably got the best pitch in the league and the good surface suits us," said Davis. "But I will be warning the players not to get carried away. There is still plenty more work to do between now and the end of the season."

Two of last weekend’s line-up, Dan Martin and Dave Marsden are unavailable but Chris Champ and Craig Rowbottom both come back into consideration after missing out on the Erith win.