THERE will be no pre-match pep-talked need to lift Warlingham on Saturday, according to skipper Zack King, as they play Lewes in a game that could go a long way to deciding their fate.
Just one point separates second-to-bottom Lewes from Warlingham after last weekend's results and King is under no illusions about how big Saturday's trip to Sussex will be.
"The Lewes game is massive, ridiculously huge," the skipper said. "The last couple of weeks we have had similar fixtures and got similar results, but they pulled off a massive result to win on Saturday, whereas we narrowly lost.
"I've looked at both teams run-ins and there is no doubt that we need to go there and win. They are going to be buzzing after their win, but we need to take confidence from our performance against Medway.
"We are going to be seriously up for it. There will be no pre-match talk needed."
Warlingham lost 28-27 to high-flying Medway on Golden Oldies day at the club, having led until the last ten minutes, a result King admits "hurt".
"Ten points up with ten minutes to go, you shouldn't lose but otherwise I couldn't fault the guys," he said. "It was the best we have played in a long time."
Warlingham pressed from the start and, from a five-metre scrum, No 8 Tom Street barrelled over for the first try, full-back Joe McEvoy converting before slotting a penalty.
However, after Warlingham fumbled in the midfield, a kick and chase by the Medway back line gave them a converted try.
A second foray by the Medway backs was thwarted when McEvoy saved a testing kick ahead and he counter-attacked with aplomb.
When Medway came for a third time, a speculative pass was intercepted by young wing Adam Downie-Keene and he sprinted the length of the pitch for the second try, McEvoy again converting.
Warlingham's indiscipline gave Medway the opportunity to reduce the lead with two penalties and the teams turned round with Warlingham a mere four points to the good.
Medway were determined to gain the lead. However, when their scrum deep in the Warlingham half gave them possession, they butchered a certain try with a knock-on in the tackle.
Warlingham exhibited fiery defence and fly-half James Agate relieved the pressure with clinical kicking. Scrum-half Stephen Murtagh nipped through the traffic at a ruck and a deft pass to Belgian prop Yassine Boufaied gave the home side their third converted try.
With the clock ticking, an historic victory seemed possible, even when a penalty apiece failed to reduce the 11-point deficit.
But Medway are not promotion contenders for nothing and a quickly taken penalty gave them their second unconverted try.
With the difference a mere five points, it was nail-biting time on the touchline but a contentious penalty decision against King close to the Warlingham 22 enabled the Medway scrum-half to catch Warlingham napping and he dashed over the line untouched.
The Medway conversion sailed between the sticks and Medway scraped the points to put Warlingham deep in the relegation zone.
Warlingham: McEvoy, Skinner, Saffery, Downie-Keene, Atkinson, Agate, Murtagh, Scutt, Abou-Zeid, Nunn, Boufaeid, Robson, Dowling, King, T Street, D Street, Osborne, Hemsley.
