WILL Croker hopes Hornets' artificial pitch will enable Bournemouth to play their favoured brand of running rugby – in the middle of winter.

Lions will aim to secure just their second away win of the season when they journey to the Weston-super-Mare club in National Three South West tomorrow (2.30pm).

Head coach Croker said: "Hornets have a 4G pitch and we haven't played on one of those before so we trained at Lytchett Minster School on Tuesday in order to familiarise ourselves with the surface.

"We think it's going to suit us because, effectively, the surface remains dry and it's very quick so whereas normal grass absorbs pressure, this almost springs back.

"We had to practise because it's easy for the backs to almost false start and overrun the ball.

"We want to play at a quick tempo as that suits us so much better, so playing on a surface like that rather than a stodgy cabbage patch should really help us."

Bournemouth will be without unavailable trio Freddie Gleadowe, Alex Everett-Bolter and Toby Kenneally.

Duncan Soden, who has been sidelined with a broken AC joint since mid-September, is set to make his comeback for the thirds.

Lions: Spikings, Manning, Firetto, Treloar, Hennings, Bennett, McDonald, Rees, Hardcastle, Davies, Roberts, Chislett, Hancox, Stewart, Boyd. Replacements: Richardson, Yeates, Elliott.