LONG-TIME league leaders Swanage & Wareham RFC came to grief on the muddy fields of Oakmeadians on Saturday, opening a direct route to promotion for ever-improving Maidenhead RFC.
The two sides are now locked together at the top of South West Division 2 East on 24 points apiece, while Maids’ impressive 44-0 win over Windsor has reduced the points-difference gap to a meagre 16.
Consequently, all other things remaining equal, a victory over the Swans at Braywick in late February would send Maids back up to South West 1.
Only last week, coach Simon Edwards predicted Swanage would slip up, saying: “They have a light pack.
“With the heavy conditions around sometime in the next six weeks one of the weaker sides will find Swanage out.”
In earlier weeks he also underlined the threat Oakmeadians pose to the unwary, after his side dogged out a narrow 23-19 win in Dorset; the first home defeat the Bournemouth side had suffered in two and a half seasons.
With his predictions now realised, Edwards is looking forward to an exciting run-in.
He said: “When I took over I said the target was promotion and now that’s a reality.
“The team and club is buzzing.”
Even the injury list is finally running in Edwards’ favour, with Saturday’s game seeing returns to action for captain Robin Bryant and silky centre Pete Nisbet, albeit in the unfamiliar role of winger.
In addition, this week should see the returns of mighty prop Rene Dance, powerhouse winger Simon Cripps and the club’s top try scorer Piers Morgan.
Edwards said: “We’re on a roll, but the key now is not to get carried away.
“We just have to take it one game at a time.
“Having chased Swanage for so long, the week after is the one where you can struggle.”
However, despite his caution, Edwards restated his obvious belief in his players, saying: “I believe we have a squad capable of winning promotion
“And I believe we are good enough to survive in South West 1.”

Stow-on-the-Wold visit Braywick tomorrow (Saturday), kick-off 2.15pm, looking to shore up their mid-table status, although on current form this could prove a difficult task.
But Edwards is taking no chances, saying: “We certainly won’t be taking them lightly.
“It’s a game we should win but you never know, particularly in bad conditions. “It’s a potential banana skin.”

Meanwhile, a resurgent Marlow could do Maidenhead a big favour when they travel to Swanage & Wareham tomorrow, looking to record their fourth win on the spin.
Even in defeat, if the Riverwoods outfit can limit the damage it may allow Maidenhead to overhaul the Swans on points difference.