WEYMOUTH & Portland travel over the Ridgeway to Coburg Road (2.15pm) for a derby clash with Dorchester’s second XV in Dorset & Wilts Two South tomorrow.

Last weekend’s 34-5 win at Ellingham & Ringwood propelled the seaside club into second place in the league standings to 64 points from 15 outings, but still well behind leaders Yeovil, who have amassed 71 points form the same number of games so far.

Skipper Kevin Leatham, who is still backing the Monmouth Avenue outfit to haul in table-topping Yeovil, is ruled out this weekend with a suspected broken thumb.

He said: “I picked up the injury last week and at first thought it was just a knock, but it was still tender on Wednesday so I have an x-ray appointment to see how bad it is. Hopefully I won’t be out for too long.”

Flanker Gary Hamlin returns for the visitors tomorrow with Joe Gibson replacing Leatham at lock forward.

Head coach Paul Harding is away in Rome to watch the Six Nations game between Italy and England this weekend, but said in the build-up to the crunch clash: “We played well last week in very trying conditions which were wet and windy and ankle deep in mud and deserved our victory, but tomorrow, in a local derby, we will have to be at our best.

“We won the corresponding fixture back in November, however, at Coburg Road tomorrow that means nothing.”

In Southern Counties South, Dorchester’s first team are set to make the trip to Marlborough, desperate to pick up points in their bid to avoid the drop.

Dorchester are rock-bottom of the pile at present with just six points on the board from their opening 15 contests.

Remarkably, Weymouth & Portland are combining with Dorchester to enable the county town’s third team to honour their league fixture at Oakmeadians Seconds in Dorset & Wilts Three South.

Weymouth & Portland chairman Ian McMillan said: “At least four of our lads who were looking for a game have made themselves available for selection to Dorchester, who apparently, are a few players short.

“I know that a few years ago this would not have happened, but what is important here is that players who want to play get a run out it doesn’t matter who for and, as we don’t have a second team game, then rugby is the winner and everyone is happy.”

In South West One East, bottom side Swanage & Wareham visit Windsor in a bid for their third league win of the season.

Back in Two South, Puddletown host Yeovil.