Fortress Foote's Lane is the aim

GUERNSEY want to put on a show for their own fans when they play their first London Four South-West home fixture tomorrow. The Sarnians have coped with promotion superbly thus far with two wins from two away games and they are hoping for a big turn out when Old Paulines visit Foote's Lane to face a full-strength home side.

'It should be a massive day,' said Guernsey captain Carl Johnson.

'The first home game of the season is traditionally sponsored by RG Falla and they usually bring a pretty large crowd. There could be something up to 500 there.

'If we can get a win on that pitch early on, we can send out a signal to the other teams and hopefully people will not like coming here to play.

'I would not imagine that anyone else would have facilities like that and we really want to maximise our home advantage. The way we look to play, the wide pitch suits us.'

Although they lost their first game away to Dorking, the team to beat in this league, Old Paulines registered a decent win over Old Reigatian last weekend.

Guernsey are coming into the game off the back of victories over Old Amplefordians and Romsey, but Johnson admitted that OPs could provide more of a test.

'We have played two of the weaker sides in the league, but we would rather that than getting Dorking first up,' he said.

'It is good for confidence to get some points on the board early on and it's even more encouraging that they have come away from home.'

But the performances have not been perfect and head coach Rob Box has been looking to improve one aspect in particular this week following the numerous penalties given away against Romsey.

'Rob has been working on the ruck area, trying to tidy that up and reduce the amount of infringements we make.

'We are scoring a lot of points through the loose forwards and the backs and our set pieces have been excellent. It is just that one area that is letting us down,' Johnson said.

Loose-head prop Steven Thomas returns to the Guernsey line-up after missing the Romsey victory while the Garenne Stand crowd with have its first view of the South African half-back pairing of Willoughby Bloem and Werner Stroh.