de Groot looking for improvements from Stags

Buxton Stags director of rugby Karl de Groot is looking for an improved performance from the players in Saturday's encounter with second-placed Ashby.
Buxton Stags v Wetherby (red)Buxton Stags v Wetherby (red)
Buxton Stags v Wetherby (red)

Stags have not taken to the field in competitive action for more than a month, with their last outing coming on 2nd December in a home defeat to Nottingham Moderns.

Moderns were rock-bottom of the Midlands 3 East (North) division and the result came seven days after the Stags overcame fourth-placed Mansfield away.

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The two games shows how unpredictable this league and the Stags can be from week-to-week and is something de Groot is keen to put right, starting at home to Ashby.

He said: “We are just looking to win the games that we can in the second half of the season.

“Our player continuity has so far been less than satisfactory leading to a few odd results. When we are full strength we are a match for most sides in the league. When we’re not we are fairly easy pickings, as the results demonstrate.

“Saturday is about just producing an improved performance level from where we were in the return fixture earlier in the season, if we manage that then we have moved forward. Anything more would be a real bonus at this stage.”

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Buxton sit third-from-bottom, with four wins from eight to their name so far this season, but have games in hand over the teams around them, with nine points the difference to Mansfield.

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Ashby will present a tough test for the Stags, however, as the 68-29 scoreline from earlier in the season suggests. Ashby put an end to a two-match losing streak with a 22-3 win over Birstall on Saturday.

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