HEAD coach Mikey Jones has warned his Ludlow RFC side they could be dragged into an unexpected Midlands One West relegation battle if they do not improve their woeful away form.

A 24-21 defeat at Sutton Coldfield was Ludlow’s seventh straight away loss despite tries by Tom Amphlett and Jack Lines, plus three Will Sparrow penalties and a conversion, putting them 21-10 up.

Ludlow’s fine home form has kept them out of trouble – they remain 15 points above third-bottom Sutton – and Jones is demanding better results on the road.

First, though, they host 10th-placed Old Halesonians and Jones said: “If we don’t get a result on Saturday, these sides are starting to claw us back.

“It’s probably the biggest game of the season because we then have a run of some very hard games.

“The away form is becoming a trend which we need to stop. We have to start converting these close losses into wins because we are not safe, far from it.”