SKIPPER Pete Stevens admits Tenbury Rugby Club have been left with ‘no margin for error’ in their fight to avoid relegation.

Stevens says the stakes have increased for his men after Tenbury’s relegation rivals, Greyhound, won 32-17 against fellow strugglers Warley in Hereford last weekend.

Tenbury are now six points adrift of third-from-bottom Warley in Midlands Four West (North) and are scheduled to host basement boys St Leonards this Saturday.

Stevens said: “Greyhound have certainly opened things up with their win last weekend.

“Greyhound are a good side but everyone in this league is capable of beating everyone else.

“We are still confident that we will stay in this division – we have to finish above the bottom two.

“We have some huge matches coming up – with local derbies against Bromyard and Bishops Castle.

“There’s no margin for error for us now and we must win against St Leonards this Saturday and pick up a much-needed bonus-point success.”

Stevens is hoping to welcome back powerhouse forward Ian Bowkett, Rob Yeomans, Chuck Parry, Will Morgan and Andrew Wilkes for this weekend’s basement battle.

Tenbury’s trip to table-topping to Harborne last weekend was called off due to a waterlogged pitch on the Friday night.

“Rob Yeomans and Chuck Parry were struggling for last weekend so I didn’t mind getting the message on Friday night to say the match had been called off.

“The extra week’s rest should work wonders for them. Will Morgan and Andrew Wilkes will also be back, while Andy Black will help us until the end of the season.

“Ian Bowkett has had a finger injury and we have missed him badly but, hopefully, he could be back this weekend, too.”

St Leonards have just won once – at home to Greyhound – this term.

Tenbury recorded a 24-19 win at St Leonards in November.

“St Leonards keep putting up a fight and did very well against Harborne a few weeks ago – we are not expecting them to roll over for us.

“We have got a much stronger side than we had at the start of the season.

“At the moment, everything is looking a lot better than it did the previous week.”

Stevens is keeping his fingers crossed that Palmer’s Meadow withstands the wet weather.

“The pitch has been holding up very well but, last Saturday, for the first time, there was standing water on the surface. We want to play – so we will be keeping everything crossed.”