SWINDON Storm travel down to East Sussex this weekend looking to once again bounce back from defeat when taking on Hastings Conquerors on Sunday.

Storm came unstuck against the strongest team in the five-team division, London Blitz B, last weekend in hot and humid conditions.

Swindon’s cause was not helped by a large number of enforced absentees from the squad as they battled hard before ultimately going down 32-0.

Reflecting on a tough day at the office for his side, defensive co-ordinator Rich Westley said: “The game last Sunday didn’t quite go to plan.

“We were in it all the way until the end, and then because we were low on numbers due to injuries and illness – we took 24 and they had 55 – the numbers were a bit too much for us in the end, unfortunately.

“But our guys played with amazing passion and heart.

“As weird as it sounds, it was a good loss in terms of seeing how the team are coming together as a unit in tough times.”

Despite convincingly beating their upcoming hosts 64-0 in the opening fixture of the season at Swindon Supermarine, the defensive player-coach is aware of the threats Hastings will possess this time around having had time to settle into their game plans.

Westley is counting on his players to show the same grit and determination they have previously displayed when coming back from a defeat.

Westley said: “We’re not going to take Hastings for granted.

“With the results that they’ve had since they played us, they have shown improvement, especially against London Blitz a couple of weeks ago.

“We’re just going to go down there and bounce back like we did previously like we did against Jurassic.

“We’ll go down there, take it to Hastings and hopefully come back with the win because it’s a long journey home if we lose.”

Storm currently hold a record of 2-3 and are yet to string consecutive wins together this season, but Westley is proud of the way his players continue to respond positively when faced with adversity.

He said: “Our ability to bounce back from defeats shows a lot about the character of the team and there’s a real bond that is starting to develop within the squad.

“It’s good to see that we’re keeping that drive and passion, so we can carry on getting those wins and keep on improving.”