LAUNCESTON joint head coach Ian Goldsmith expects a ‘real challenge’ when Marlborough visit Polson Bridge on Saturday in Regional One South West (3pm).

The Wiltshire outfit were transferred over from the Regional One South Central of London and South East Division having finished ninth last term, but have adapted to their new surroundings well, sitting in mid-table with two wins, a draw and a defeat to their name.

They started with a 23-23 success at second-placed Lydney, followed by an emphatic 66-24 hammering of visiting Matson at The Common.

They then produced an impressive 38-30 success at fellow new boys Sidmouth in East Devon, before they were beaten for the first time on September 28 by Royal Wootton Bassett (26-14), another side to have moved up to Step Five.

Marlborough, who have former New Zealand winger Sitiveni Sivavatu as their technical director, have a strong military connection, while former Tonga prop Halani Aulika also arrived in the summer.

But Goldy wants to see the Cornishmen, who are third with three wins from four and 16 points from a possible 20, continue from where they left off.

He said: “The next two nights (Tuesday and Thursday) will pretty much be about refreshing some of the things we’ve done really well so far this season and even in pre-season.”

With the two clubs not having met before in a league encounter, Goldsmith has had to wait to find out much about his opponents.

Speaking on Tuesday morning, when asked, he said: “Not a lot until last night until we managed to obtain some footage.

“They’ve got two huge props that give them a real solid platform at scrum time and they earned a lot of penalties through that against Royal Wootton Bassett.

“And in the backs they’ve got a really good 12 who is the focal point of their attack and gives them a cutting edge and X factor, and their two wingers look really sharp, so we know it’s going to be a challenge.

“But we feel there maybe some mobility issues for them up front, so hopefully we can exploit that as the game goes on.”

Goldsmith is hopeful that influential Argentinian back Jose Luis Juarez should be fit, and shared some good news on fellow flyer Dan Pearce who is close to a comeback after injury his knee against Matson in January.

He concluded: “We’re really hopeful that Jose will be available after missing the Ivybridge game due to injury, while we need to assess Cohen (Larson) after he came off at Ivybridge, but up front it looks like everybody is fit and raring to go.

“On the absentee front, James Tucker is recovering but is probably unlikely for this weekend, but we’ve had some good news on Dan Pearce whose knee injury is healing pretty well and we’re hopeful we may see him return to action fairly soon.”

Elsewhere around the club this weekend, the Castles return to action in Counties Cornwall Three with a trip to Saltash Seconds, while Sunday sees the ladies welcome Crediton in Women’s NC 1 South West (West).

Bude’s three senior teams are also due back in action.

The first team have a crunch early season encounter when they make the short trip by their standards up the A39 to winless Bideford (3pm).

The home side have lost all four of their games so far, including a 22-12 defeat at new boys Redruth Seconds last week.

Bude are eighth with six points and have faced the top two, so are relatively well placed.

On a busy Saturday for the club, the seconds welcome Illogan Park to Broadclose Park, while the ladies visit Okehampton in Women’s NC 2 South West (West).

Please check the clubs’ social media accounts for kick-off times.