A PATCHED-UP Swindon College Old Boys side will take to the field for tomorrow’s visit to Bicester.

Last Saturday’s stunning victory over champions elect Drifters came at a price, with news of three serious injuries leaving the Old Boys coaching team with selection headaches ahead of the game with the side immediately above them in the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier table.

Three ambulances were needed to take Swindon players to hospital, where it was revealed prop Liam Davis had suffered a collapsed vertebrae, Toby Haynes had broken his leg and Tommy Farr had dislocated his elbow and suffered a broken ankle.

Old Boys manager Martin Peaple is convinced his side will cope without a number of their most important players, and will take to the field against Bicester full of confidence from their victory over Drifters.

“It was a great win for us and gave us all a lot of confidence because obviously they are the team to beat this season,” he said.

“It could have gone either way at the end but we managed to hold on, and all of our hard work paid off. But it came at a price, and having three ambulances was tough for us and we wish the boys well in their recovery.

“We will have a few boys stepping up from the seconds and we are confident they can do well, and Ben Roberts will start in the front row for the first time having moved from the backs.”

Old Boys currently sit five points behind tomorrow’s opponents with two games remaining in the chase for fourth place, which Peaple believes would be a just reward for a good season.

“Fourth would definitely be an achievement for us, and would help us build for next season,” he said. “We had a bit of a slip-up and a bad run during the middle of the season, but we have definitely made progress and that is the main thing.”

Chippenham travel to Redingensians in National 3 South West looking to improve on their midtable position, while Wootton Bassett journey to second-placed Milton Keynes in Southern Counties North.

In Dorset & Wilts 1 North, Supermarine will be looking to follow up their 129-0 victory over Bath Saracens with a win at Bradford on Avon, Minety visit leaders Swindon 2nds, and Fairford go to Trowbridge 2nds.