DEVONPORT Services’ National League adventure comes to an end on Saturday when they host Bournville at the Rectory (2.30pm).

Although they, like Bournville, know they are going down, they can finally get off the foot of National Two West on the last day of the campaign.

If Services win and deny their Birmingham visitors a bonus point, they will finish above them.

“We don’t want to finish bottom,” said Services head coach Ben Russell. “But they will be saying the same thing.

“I think it will be a physical encounter, and we’ll just see how we get on.

“We have talked about ending on a high and trying to end with a win at home and build towards next year.”

He added: “It has been a long old season. Level five finished on April 5 and they had more free weekends.

“But we have already talked about next season and have said how we have to stay at the level we have been at – we can’t let our levels drop.”

Russell admits his players will have learned a lot from this year and believes it will be particularly valuable to their second team next season.

Services have used 48 different players in their first team squad this term, which shows just how many players have gained some National League experience.

Their second team will also be stronger next season as their first team match day squad will be reduced from 20 to 18.

For Saturday’s match against Bournville, Services are set to welcome back Matt Gregory and Matt Neyle, but Dan Lilley is likely to be missing due to work and Tom Davies is still out after dislocating his shoulder.

Services did lose 40-22 away to Bournville on the opening day of the season, but they will want to show how far they have progressed since that result.

Bournville’s away record has been poor and they have yet to win on their travels, while all of Services wins have come at home.

PAPA JOHNS CUPS

SALTASH and Old Techs will be looking to keep alive their Twickenham dreams this weekend with home last 16 matches in Papa Johns Championship matches.

Unbeaten Cornwall Counties Two side Saltash will host Counties Two Somerset winners Midsomer Norton at Moorlands Lane in the level eight competition.

Both clubs have had impressive seasons and will have ambitions to go all the way to the final.

Saltash have won all their games this term, while Midsomer Norton have only lost once – back in early October when they went down 37-22 away at Clevedon, who they did beat this week in the Somerset Vase final. However, since that one league defeat then the Somerset club have been running in cricket scores, a bit like Saltash have in their league.

Midsomer’s biggest win was a 143-0 victory against St Bernadettes Old Boys.

Both Midsomer and Saltash have been plagued by teams handing them walkovers. Midsomer have had five and Saltash seven this season.

Saltash, who reached the semi-finals of the Papa Johns Cup last season, will be hoping to make home advantage tell on Saturday and move one step closer to a return to Twickenham.

Old Techs are also still dreaming of reaching the home of English rugby in the Counties Three and below Papa Johns Championship.

They host Hampshire side Romsey at Weston Mill on Saturday (3pm).

Romsey finished as runners-up in Counties Three Hampshire, losing just three of their 16 league games.

“We know nothing about them,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith. “But I think the club and all the players are excited about the game and playing someone different from so far away.

“I don’t remember us playing another team that far away in the national cup before.

“It is a bit of the unknown as we just don’t know what to expect, but we have to try and make home advantage count.”

He added: “We have got people away and have some long-term injuries, but we still should have a good squad available.”

Tamar Saracens are also in cup action when they host league rivals South Molton at the Parkway in the Papa Johns Counties Two South Shield competition.

Whoever wins on Saturday will play Cornish side St Just for a place in semi-finals, with the final set to take place in Bristol.

“We had a huge high against Argaum in the RNEC Cup,” said Saracens head coach Mike Lewis. “The boys were dead happy with that.

“Unfortunately, we have a lot of boys away this weekend, but we’ll have a team and we’ll just see how we go.

“I’m excited about this cup competition. Whoever wins on Saturday will play St Just away in the next round, which would be a nice little bus trip, and it would be for a place in the semi-finals.”

Saturday’s match against South Molton could be Lewis’ last game as head coach of Saracens.

He has already told the club that he will be stepping down at the end of the season and they are already advertising for a new coach.

The former Devonport Services, Launceston and Tavistock coach is looking for a new challenge after initially stepping back from higher level coaching due to work and family commitments.

“I just think it is time for a bit of change,” said the former Plymouth Albion player.

“I also think a fresh face might do them a power of good.”

Lewis has not got anything sorted out yet, but has had talks with some clubs.

“I just have to see what is about and what is available,” he said. “I have got a couple of options, but they are just options at the moment.

“I can’t do without rugby. I stood down from Services and was going to take a year or two out, but within weeks I found myself coaching another team.”

Lewis admitted he has found it quite hard this year as some weeks Saracens have struggled for player availability.

“I think we could have easily finished sixth or seventh in the league with a bit better availability and a few more boys at training,” he said.

“I said at the start of the season that the top four teams would be the top four teams, but that the next eight could be in any order. I felt we played the better rugby of those, but if you haven’t got the boys every week and have that consistency, then you can’t quite get the results you need.

“We went away to a few teams without enough players. Our chairman had to play a few games. If we hadn’t had that we would have got a few more points and probably been happily mid-table.

“We comfortably could have won three or four more games.

“But at the same time, we do have a core group of players who go through thick and thin for the club.”