DIRECTOR of rugby Budge Pountney is urging Bournemouth to set the record straight against Canterbury after admitting his side were sloppy in defeat to Redruth.

The Lions are currently on a 13-game losing streak in SSE National Two South having not registered a win since beating Redruth at home in October.

However, Bournemouth slumped to a 21-10 defeat on their travels against the Cornish outfit last weekend after falling behind early in the game.

The challenge does not get any easier against a Canterbury side steaming along in second place but Pountney wants to see a reaction from his players.

“In the past month and a half we’ve had some really good improvements and it takes a bit of time,” he said.

“We have used something like 59 players in the first team and when you use that amount, you can’t get the continuity – it’s very difficult to maintain it.

“It has been good recently but, unfortunately, if you look at the Redruth game we took a small step back from where we had been.

“We went up to Canterbury earlier in the season and gave them a game but they have got a slope on their pitch which is about 75 degrees and they took full advantage of that.

“They are a dominant, well-run side in the division and present a few different challenges to Redruth – they’ll come at us from every channel. It’s a case of the boys having to step up from last weekend and that’s all we can ask.”

Now 14 points away from safety, the second-from-bottom Lions are in danger of being cast adrift with 11 games still remaining.

But Pountney insists his side need to maintain focus for a whole game to reap improved results.

“It would be very nice if we did get the win, we’ve been working really hard but just haven’t managed to cross the line,” added Pountney.

“But honestly, any team can beat anyone in this league, we just have to keep up the consistency for a full 80 minutes, especially to beat a side like Canterbury.”

  • SSE, proud sponsor of the National and Divisional Leagues, has £10,000 worth of mobile floodlights for your club to win. To find out how to enter go to www.SSERugby.com