THEY'VE conceded 120 points in their last two games and scored nothing, but Lydney coach Duncan Bell says 'don't blame the players'.

Last Saturday's 69-0 thrashing in Redruth was literally men against boys. It followed a 51-0 defeat to Worthing the week before.

The Severnsiders had 17 players injured or unavailable for the trip to Cornwall, forcing Bell to bring former club captain Paul Kiely back from the wilderness, and hand a debut on the wing to 18-year-old Jack Sterry.

Bell said: "When you shell 100+ points in two games it seems strange to say there were positives, but there were.

"Paul Kiely slotted straight back in and in my opinion has still got the ability to play at this level.

"Paul Price was supposed to be moving house but when he saw how badly we were struggling he put his hand up and said 'I'll be there'.

"We threw in Jack Sterry for his debut on the wing, even though he usually plays fly-half for the Colts. Paddy McAlister played only his second game, Mike Dodge was at 10 for the first time and Alex Hall had to play in a new position at full-back.

"I was strangely proud of their efforts and I told them so."

Bell hopes the 'heartbeat of his side', Danny Trigg, Will Jones and Tony Wicks, will be back for this week's important home match with Launceston.

He said: "Colin Henderson is running around like an idiot trying to sort out physios for everyone.

"Although I'm a firm believer in full contact training, I'll be wrapping people up in cotton wool this week.

"We've not got a huge squad to start with so we just cannot cope with having a whole team out.

"The last two weeks don't actually change things that much. We've lost to the league leaders and the team in second place.

"Our goal is to avoid relegation and I'm still confident we can do that."