ROTHERHAM Rugby Club chief executive Jim Kilfoyle has warned his players to beware a Worcester backlash tomorrow in the biggest match of the National One season.

Kilfoyle's side lead the league table by three points with a vital game in hand going into the Clifton Lane clash (2pm) and are red-hot favourites to win and virtually end Worcester's promotion challenge.

However, the Liverpool-born coach believes the Sixways side will be a dangerous animal come kick-off time.

"It's a big game for both sides but in different ways really," he said.

"In many respects, the season is at stake for Worcester which makes them very dangerous. For us, our security is at stake and a choice between having that security and being involved in a dogfight for the rest of the season."

Worcester beat Rotherham 20-18 in the league earlier this season, but the South Yorkshire side have since re-turned to Sixways to knock John Brain's team out of the National Cup.

"For Kilfoyle, the game looks likely to be another tight affair between the league's two top sides.

"I think it might well, like the first league game between us, go down to one score," he added. "It's going to be very tight, I don't think there's a doubt about that.

"However, it will be a big psychological boost for the team which wins because it will either make or break the season in one sense. We've still got to go to Exeter and Bedford this season so we would obviously love to have that extra security."

Kilfoyle, however, is wary that some of his players may feel as if the pressure is off them ahead of the match, such is the need for Worcester to win the game.

"It can be a bad thing for us and a good thing for Worcester," said Kilfoyle. The pressure is not on us as much as it is the Worcester boys but then again, when you've got people like Craig Chalmers -- they've played at the highest possible level and tend to thrive on it.

"There might be a suggestion from other people that some players maybe under-perform over the season but with people like Craig and Ben Clarke, they can perform in the biggest of games.

"I don't think it will end Worcester's season if they lose, but it takes real resilience to keep on playing catch-up over the rest of the season."