Injury-hit Pulborough target local derbies to save season

That’s after his injury-hit side went down 28-8 away at Folkestone, Boro’s seventh straight defeat in London 3 South East.

The damage down in Kent on Saturday was done by three first-half tries from the hosts.

Pulborough rallied in the second half, and after Sam Goutcher had slotted over a penalty, the visitors scored a try through Will Akers after pressurising the hosts with a series of pick and drives from the forwards.

Folkestone scored a fourth try right at the death to add some gloss to the score, but with several players missing including Nicholls, the skipper was pleased with the overall display.

He said: “They were the better side on the day and deserved to win but I thought the boys put in a good performance.

“We seem to be riddled with injuries at the moment but that’s just how it goes sometimes. We always knew we would need a decent number of players because you get through plenty of players over a season.”

Nicholls was impressed by a number of young players; Jordan Cox, 18, impressing in his first showing at fly-half for the first team and Josh Haulkham again doing well at prop.

Ollie Coombe-Tennant also played well, as did Euan Calloway in his first game back from a seventh-month injury lay-off.

In a blow skip Nicholls could now miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

The side are two points off third-bottom Park House and their four remaining games are Sheppey away this weekend, Uckfield at home followed by Horsham away, before they finish the season away at Tunbridge Wells.

Nicholls added: “Uckfield at home and Horsham away are probably our best chances of points.”