A long, long and often painful season and 25 matches in National Three London & SE have passed since a season which promised much last summer, began with a thumping defeat.

The opposition were Westcombe Park and seven months on they come back to Footes Lane where revenge is in the air.

Back in September head coach Jordan Reynolds acknowledged that his team had to ‘walk the walk, not just talk the talk’ if they were going to push for a top-four spot.

After an impressive Westcombe Park outfit inflicted an opening day 37-7 defeat on the green-and-whites the coach admitted that his side would have to improve markedly and quickly if they were to achieve their target for the season.

‘It probably brings us back down to earth,’ he said.

And if that didn’t the long list of injuries that were to follow, most certainly did.

But that’s all in the past.

Guernsey are now in as good as form as any other in the 14-team division.

Westcombe Park need to be beaten is the attitude and safety assured.

With three teams to go down Guernsey will start the day with four sides below them in the ladder.

Bottom side CS Rugby 1863 are relegated, but wins for Amersham & Chiltern, Tring and Westcliff could get them out of trouble.

Westcliff and Tring are nearest to Guernsey, four points adrift, and while Reynolds fully expects Tring to win and feasibly pick up five points, he is encouraged that Westcliff have to play Barnes, who could pip Bury St Edmunds for the title with a win.

‘It’s finals day rugby when anything can happen. If I put money on it, Barnes will secure that one.’

Reynolds, understandably, does not see any value in leaving anything to chance.

‘We don’t want to be walking into this one thinking that one point makes us safe.

‘Our main focus is beating Westcombe. We lost to them away, so our target is to win.

‘We’ve restructured the way we want to play and it is going to be a battle of the back lines.’

On the team news front, Luke Sayer comes in at full back for the injured Jim Elliott, while Simi Sawene, so impressive off the bench last week, comes in at loose-head instead of the unavailable Cameron Craine.

Andy Bailey, another replacement against Tonbridge, plays on the wing in place of Jason Batiste.

But it is a strong side and one that is determined to win, not simply secure a bonus point to ensure safety.

Kick off is at 3pm and before that on the old pitch the two clubs’ second XVs are set to do battle.

Team: Simi Sawene, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier, Nick Merrien, Greg Smith, Robin Le Cocq, Matt Thomas; Malcolm Barnes, Glen Walters, Dave Davison, Blair Campbell (capt), Ned Brown, Andy Bailey, Luke Sayer.

Replacements: Simon Sharrott, Nick Barton and Ben Challinor.