EVESHAM RFC head coach Gary Diston hopes his side can win the bragging rights when they go to neighbours Shipston-on-Stour in Midlands Three West (South) on Saturday (ko 2.15pm).

The Lower Albert Road side go to the Cotswolds for the local derby after seeing their last two games fall foul of the cold snap, including last week’s home clash with Redditch.

Diston admits he is frustrated by his side’s lack of matches over the last couple of weeks but also at being unable to hold a training session, either outdoor or indoor, last week.

But he says the squad will get together ahead of Saturday’s derby for a training session at the club.

He also admits his side are desperate to string a couple of victories together as they curently lie third-from-bottom with 14 points and three wins from eight games. Fly-half Mike Diston is back in contention after recovering from a back muscle injury. Diston said: “It’s always tough up there at Shipston, same as Redditch would have been last week.

“There’s not much between us and Shipston in the table, they have won a few more bonus points. They have a sloping pitch and they know how to play it.

“It's always good to put one over your neighbours and it’s a game we always look forward to.

“We need the results going into the Christmas break, a couple of wins would be great. I’m not too worried how we do it, we just need points on the board now.

“It’s been frustrating to not being able to play over the last couple of weeks due to the weather.

“We didn’t train last week and couldn’t find a venue to go to indoors, so we have missed a week.

“But we will train at the club before the Shipston game.”