ROSS Reynolds has lit the fuse for tomorrow's National One showdown by claiming that Worcester are starting to feel the promotion pressure.

"Worcester are starting to feel the pressure," said Orrell coach Reynolds. "They have struggled the last few games up until last weekend's win against Otley so they've been feeling the heat a bit.

"They're going to feel a lot more heat tomorrow. They are the ones who have failed to deliver in the last three to five years in this league.

"At the beginning of the season, I don't think Worcester envisaged we would be this close to them.

"We're the Johnny-come-latelys and we're perfectly positioned to knock them over."

Worcester lost out last season on their previous trip to Edge Hall Road and Reynolds believes that home advantage could again be vital for his team.

"It's a huge difference from the game earlier in the season at Sixways," he said.

"We're at home, we know the surface well and have a fantastically loud, loyal crowd and that will be a huge help to us.

"Edge Hall Road is not the most enticing of places to come for a visiting team. It's certainly not like Worcester's glamour stadium but we like it and it gives us a huge home ground."

Worcester have been playing down the significance of the match all week and Reynolds agrees that, with Orrell three points behind, it is a bigger game for the Wigan side.

"It's probably the biggest game Orrell have had for a long, long time," added Reynolds.

"The winner of it will certainly be favourites to win this league.

"If you look through the team lists, there's some great match-ups across the paddock. There's not much in it and it will be down to who can deliver on the day."

"For us the whole season doesn't turn on this game," said Worcester's director of rugby John Brain. "For them it probably does.

"That does not mean that we want it any less than them because we want to win the game.

"We know we can beat them because we've already done it once this season."