FOR a side scrapping for their lives, losing to one of the few teams below them in the table is often terminal.

However, Princes Risborough RFC have taken Saturday’s 20-12 defeat to basement club Hungerford on the chin and are still resolutely backing themselves to avoid the drop.

Chairman Andy Emmett said: “I think two more wins would probably be enough and there is a very good chance we can do that.

“If we start playing the way we can, and with some confidence, we’ll be ok.

“We’ve played all the big clubs away and I think we can get something out of the other teams.

“A couple of wins changes everything in a big way.”

This season is something new for Risborough, who have been promoted every single season since formation.

They have found this step, coupled with the league restructure, the most difficult to take though.

Emmett said: “It’s been a tough transition. We started off well enough but then got injuries to five key players and it’s been hard going since then.

“You often find that if you take the experienced players out of the side you lose that cutting edge and we’re playing against some very good teams in this league, whose backs have probably been playing together since school.”

That was certainly the case at Hungerford, where Risborough dominated up front but were cut down by some deadly finishing from their struggling guests.

However, three homes games in a row offer a lifeline.

Gosford All Blacks kick off the run on Saturday before Littlemore and Drifters follow them to Bucks.