Brown back – Thomas could yet be risked

But Guernsey coach Jordan Reynolds has warned Guildford that his side is much improved both in terms of personnel and mentality from when the team met in November, when the Surrey outfit emerged 33-22 victors.

Since that day, Raiders have embarked on a winning run that now stretches to 11 games – including gaining revenge on the only other side to beat them this season, Dorking – and they have established a six-point lead at the top of London & South-East Premier.

‘Even more so than the Dorking game, this one has been very much on the players’ minds,’ said Reynolds.

‘From our previous meeting, we know that Guildford are very capable and that they can score tries – that much is pretty evident in the bonus points they have obtained.

‘But we need to keep scoring points and getting bonus points ourselves and I think this is the perfect time for this game to come around for us because if you are talking about motivation, you know the boys will be up for it.

‘This is another opportunity for us to be at our best and to show the level we have come from those 11 games ago to where we are now.

‘With the players we have available, we will have seven or eight this week who did not travel to Guildford earlier in the season and there’s a lot of guys there who can make a big difference.’

Raiders could be boosted by having Owen Thomas fit to start, despite the regular fly half having been carried off injured at Westcliff in their last game two weeks ago.

Reynolds had provisionally named him in the side, but is wary of rushing him back.

‘Owen has been passed fit to train by the physios, he has got stuck into his rehab early and to have him back faster than we thought is good,’ said the coach.

‘If he does not play this week, he will definitely be back for Shelford next week.’

As planned, Kyle Brown will get game-time at scrum half while Malcolm Barnes, who has been under the weather this week, gets a rest, although the New Zealander may yet take a place on the bench.

‘There’s a few options for us this week, mainly down to having more players to select from,’ said Reynolds, who welcomes back Ned Brown in the centres.

‘Because of the weather, we thought the ideal would be to keep two forwards on the bench this week so we will have Cameron Craine and Charlie Currie there so we can rotate the front row, with Crainey also covering the second row.

‘The good thing is we are at home. If we were playing away this week, the only thing on our minds would be what the pitch is going to be like given the weather, but when you are talking about Footes Lanes you know it’s flat and like a billiard table – we are pretty spoilt.’

Guernsey Raiders against Guildford kicks off at 2pm tomorrow, which is half an hour after St Jacques Vikings take on Worthing Azzurians in their latest Sussex Armada Ale Two game at KGV.

Despite being docked three points for fielding an ineligible player in their most recent home match against title rivals Plumpton, Vikings are back on top of the table after extending their unbeaten run to five matches with victory over Newick in the UK a fortnight ago.

The black-and-yellows have not lost since November and they produced a good performance to defeat the only team who have beaten them at the KGV this season.

Vikings come into the game just a point ahead of Plumpton, while third-placed Shoreham are just four points back and have two games in hand on the Guernsey side.

Worthing are fifth in the table.

Raiders team (subject to change)

Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier, Nick Merrien, Dan Hill, Dale Martin, Doug Horrocks, Kyle Brown, Owen Thomas, Anthony Armstrong, Ned Brown, Luke Jones, Luke Sayer, Sam Whitehead. Replacements: Charlie Currie, Cameron Craine, Jason Batiste/Malcolm Barnes.