CROWTHORNE RFC head coach Karl Roberts is urging his players to “step up to the plate” as they prepare for a potentially title-deciding clash at Risborough on Saturday.

The Crows secured a top-two spot as they produced their best performance of the season in annihilating Berkshire Shire Hall 83–5 last weekend, setting up an epic encounter at their nearest rivals.

Both Crowthorne and Risborough have won 14 of their 17 BB&O Championship games, with the Cricket Field Grove side leading the table by a solitary point.

The two teams have split their games this season, with the Buckinghamshire club edging a 15-5 win before the Crows hammered them 45-19 in a sterling display in December.

And Roberts said: “The guys have got to step up to the plate and hopefully get a win. If we can get a result then hopefully that can secure top spot for us.

“We’ve had a couple of tight games over there. At the end of last season it was tight and we should have done better and again this season we went over there and it was 15-5.

“At home we played them off the park and hopefully if we play like we did against Shire Hall we can do the same thing again.” Roberts paid tribute to Risborough’s style of play, but hopes conditions may favour his a Crowthorne side who are in the midst of a seven match winning run.

He said: “I went down to Didcot to watch Risborough, and when they’re playing as a team, they’re playing good rugby. We’ll try and do the same thing and give them a physical encounter.

“But we’re coming back in to the type of weather that suits our play. We’ve got a young, mobile forward pack and when teams have been picking and going against us it’s been very difficult to defend that.

“Against Risborough we’ll have 22 or 23 to pick from and we hope we can win.” And Roberts added that regardless of this Saturday’s result, the season can be classed as a triumph for his side.

He beamed: “For the club four years ago to not be playing league rugby, we’ve had a couple of years to find our feet again and to establish a squad and to produce the kind of performances we have this season is fantastic.

“Hopefully next year we can carry on and get more players and get two teams out.”