Mike Gillick wants more of the same from Shelford's trip to Sutton & Epsom

Survival hopes given big boost after win over Towcestrians

Mike Gillick is looking for a repeat performance from Shelford after they put their London & SE Premier Division safety in their own hands with a 71-19 win over Towcestrians.

The victory moved them out of the bottom three, and more of the same is being called for by the head coach when they travel to Sutton & Epsom in their penultimate match of the season this Saturday.

“If we can pick something up away from home, sneak a victory, then it sets us up into the last game in a better position than if we lose,” said Gillick.

“You would expect Westcombe Park to get five points against Southend, in the position they are and with nothing to play for other than building for next season.

“If we lose, it puts a lot of pressure on us for the last game. Guildford and Sidcup are not that far ahead, neither are Dorking really, so it’s all to play for in the last couple of games.

“If we get a five-point victory on Saturday, then it puts us in really good stead for the final game.

“If we were to get five points, we need a point from the last game to guarantee it, and all the other results don’t matter so it’s in our hands.

Shelford were five tries to the good in the first half against bottom club Towcestrians, with Gillick getting two and Al Whittaker, Will Lawson and Charlie Parkhouse getting one apiece. Josh Simmons landed four tries as they led 33-12 at half time.

After the break, Simmons, Rob Gardner, Anzelo Tuitavuki, Tom Lucas, Parkhouse and Atelea Mmoa all touched down for Shelford, with Simmons adding one conversion and Gillick kicking three.

“The result was expected,” said Gillick. “It is where I want Shelford to expect to perform, not be surprised by that victory.

“We should never have lost at their place, so we owed them a result and it should have been what we were targeting anyway.”

Having left points on the pitch, and giving away two tries, there is still things to work on, but that does not concern Gillick.

“Those sort of things cannot happen against better teams, and can’t happen in the next two games,” he said.

“There are little things we have to tighten up but the intensity we played at was really pleasing – defensively quite aggressive and in attack we created a huge amount of opportunities, we just didn’t finish all of them.

“I was pleased coming off the pitch still with having things to work on but having put 70 points on someone.”

After the match at Sutton & Epsom, Shelford finish their season at home to Tunbridge Wells.