SECOND-from-bottom Bournemouth could welcome back captain Joe Rees for their home clash with National Two South promotion-chasing Clifton on Saturday (2pm).

Fresh off the draw which lifted them off the foot of the table last weekend, Lions fans will hope to see both Rees and winger Ben Meaden back in action.

Clifton have lost four of their last seven matches since December, and sit fifth in the league table, but will still be harbouring dreams of promotion to National One to which they came so close last season. They face promotion rivals Taunton Titans, Henley Hawks and Tonbridge Juddians in their next four matches - a run that will define their season.

The players and coaches might thus be forgiven for assuming that struggling Bournemouth will be a formality this weekend, but recent form suggests otherwise.

Lions have improved week-on-week since the teams met in October, a fixture that Clifton won 28-15. Although they have registered only two victories and one draw in the meantime, they have been within a score of their opponents in six defeats out of 10, including Henley, Redruth and Leicester Lions - second, fourth and sixth in the table respectively.

If Clifton wish to take home the spoils this time, they will be made to work for the full 80 minutes, and cannot afford indiscipline, with Bournemouth talisman Grant Hancox ready to take three points from any penalty inside the opposition half.