ALAN Manning has warned Lions that their promotion push will get tougher – because teams are out to derail the Chapel Gate express.

The Bournemouth captain says his dominant team must be prepared to grind out results as opponents will raise their game to face the title front-runners.

Manning’s comments come after the National Three South West leaders were made to work for Saturday’s 42-0 win over basement outfit Newbury.

Three converted tries in each half proved enough to seal the victory that kept Lions five points ahead of Chinnor.

Karim Lynch, Scott Chislett, Will Brooks, James Flynn, Tim Seward and Robbie Searle were all on the scoresheet, with kicker Dan Pollard adding the extras.

Although the Newbury success proved enough to stay in front of 100 per cent outfit Chinnor, it fell well short of the 112-5 drubbing Bournemouth had dished out to the winless bottom-of-the-table club in October.

And skipper Manning believes that could be a sign of things to come during the final eight games.

The 25-year-old told the Daily Echo: “Teams know how we play.

“Especially with the weather changing, it is going to be a bit boggier. Teams play heavier packs and they will try to slow down the ball as much as possible – whether it be legally or illegally, if they get away with it, it is fair play to them.

“They are using their heads to slow down our game.

“But what is important to us now is getting four tries in every game (to secure the winning bonus point) and keeping the points ticking over before we play the big games against the likes of Redingensians and Chinnor.

“Since Christmas, we have put 40 points on pretty much all the teams but it has been tough – a lot harder and more physical.

“If any team can get anything from the leading sides, they are going to be happy, even if they take a point or reduce us to four points. I think that is what every team below us is looking to do.

“It is not great for us but we have got to expect that now and change our mentality to say this is a new season for the last eight games.”

Discussing the Newbury match, which saw him make his 150th Lions start, Manning added: “We turned up and they seemed to put in everything they had – absolutely everything.

“If they had played like that all season, they would have at least won a handful of games already.

“They were tackling and grabbing hold of shoelaces so that we couldn’t get past. But I said to the players after the game that to come away from home and put 42 points on any team is a good win.”

Lions: K Lynch, Searle, Stewart (Edwards, 55), Chislett, Flynn, Pollard, Hardcastle, Tarrant, Wilford (Cawley, 44), Manning, Brooks (Seward, 35), Forrest, Hennings, Dunkerley, Hart.