TITANS are anticipating another hard battle at Hyde Park today when visitors Ampthill make their debut appearance in Taunton (kick-off 3pm).

Forwards coach Chris Brown said: “It is essential that we take the best bits of our performances in the last three home games and put them all together for what will be a difficult challenge.

“We have the added bonus of the returning Jemba Bull and Sam Richardson, both after spells away due to work commitments, and they will no doubt be a real shot in the arm.”

Promoted from National 3 West Midlands last season, Ampthill have enjoyed some success so far in the current league campaign, with four wins and two losses meaning they now sit in fifth spot in the table.

Brown added: “Ampthill will be well organised and a tight unit under the experienced guidance of Paul Turner who has an exceptional record of high level coaching and, in the not so distant past, as a player too.

“Paul’s teams have always been expansive in style, and marry hard and direct carrying with the finesse of a back line that are always able to handle the ball well.

“Indeed, Tony Yapp spent his early years at Bedford under the tutelage of Paul and he will certainly be familiar with the type of team that arrives on Saturday.”

Brown also spoken of the positives taken from the Titans’ loss to Hartpury College and emphasised the progression of the team this season.

He said: “The performance at Hartpury was not one the coaching staff were unhappy with, it’s just the scoreline which was a little frustrating, and some elements of the game which we need to improve on.

“The great thing about a tough examination is that it lays out your perceived weaknesses and really underlines your areas to work on. In that sense Hartpury was a useful exercise for us.

“The line out in particular stood up against the heat of very organised pressure and our defensive work allowed a number of steals.

“Some of our tenacity in the face of hard running was outstanding. Hartpury were both accurate and well drilled, and will certainly be promotion contenders or thereabouts at the end of the season.”

Brown also outlined how results such as last weekend contribute to the continued growth of the team.

“While beaten, we can take many positives from the game and playing under that pressure is essential for our development.

“As a coach is important that we see progression from week to week, month on month, or season to season.

“We have seen that in both the play of the forwards and our cutting edge out behind in a short time, although we are still striving for the consistency which will see us push for back to back wins.

“The players as a group have a voracious appetite for improvement and it this is fundamental within our long-term plan.

“That synergy among the squad can only be achieved through hard work, focus, time and layering our performance week on week with honest players who take feedback, and have the motivation to push on and improve.

“Having just arrived this season the current squad have certainly been a major attraction point to me, and I believe they have the hallmarks of long-term success.”