HEREFORD Rugby Club travel to Leicestershire on Saturday still searching for their first victory of the season in Midlands One.

The Belvadere Lane side take on Barkers' Butts having lost their two opening two league games on top of disappointingly crashing out of the Tetley Bitter Cup in a nightmare three weeks.

However, skipper Jason Lewis believes his side turned the corner during Saturday's 29-15 home defeat to Scunthorpe.

He said: "The whole team performance was much, much better and we said after the match that if we play like that for most of the season then not many teams will beat us.

"I think Scunthorpe are a top side and showed their quality against us."

Lewis will be hoping to see a few more familiar faces in the coming weeks as some of the first-team players come back from holidays. Hereford have been hit hard by the absence of key players for the start of the season.

He added: "I don't think we will have a full strength side until October and only then will the team begin to hit form.

"It has been a very disappointing start for everyone involved in the club but we know it is going to get better because we realise we have played some good teams.

"I think the cup defeat was the most disappointing performance of the three games so far but we have just got to put it out of our minds and concentrate on our next game," said Lewis.

Meanwhile, Droitwich Rugby Club open their Midlands Division Four West/ South campaign with an interesting home clash against Warwickshire side Berkswell and Balsall on Saturday.

The Memorial Ground side will be hoping for an improvement on last week's lack-lustre performance, when they were beaten by 30-3 by a well-organised Stratford-upon-Avon team.

However, they will be without their influential stand-off Simon Mountjoy who is unavailable for three weeks.

Matthew Blackmore moves to outside-half allowing the ever reliable Nick Grint to return at number nine.

Ian Craig returns to the second row in place of the injured Jon Reed.

The most heartening piece of news for the Hanbury Road club is the return of Rob McClean who will take up his usual place at full-back.

Winger Sascha Hobbs, the former Worcestershire Saints rugby league player is also on the bench to give Droitwich plenty of attacking options.