SUPERMARINE coach Gavin Russ is hopeful tomorrow’s home clash with Weymouth gets the go-ahead to allow the club to keep up their new-found momentum.

Since securing victory over Oakmeadians in their final game of 2012 Marine have put in some much improved performances, and despite defeats in their last two matches there is an improved sense of optimism within the camp.

The South Marston pitch is still covered in snow which has cast tomorrow’s Southern Counties South clash into serious doubt, and Russ would be disappointed not to get a game in following the postponement of last week’s visit to Wootton Bassett.

“We want to play, particularly because we have got some good momentum up of late and it’s hard to keep that going without playing games,” he said.

“We didn’t play last week which was a shame, and training has been hard too because there is very little you can do without getting out on the pitch.

“I know the lads have been using the gym, but that’s just not the same as getting the balls out and playing.

“We know what we need to work on, and it isn’t strength and conditioning which is our problem. Our problems are tactical, and you can’t work on that in a gym.”

If the game does go ahead, Russ is convinced the 76-0 defeat Marine suffered when they travelled to Weymouth earlier in the season will be all-but forgotten.

“We went down there at the start of the season and we were caught napping a little bit to be honest, and it wasn’t a good day for us,” he said.

“But you can’t let it get to you, and you have to put it to the back of your mind.

“We have improved since then, and we have to say any home game is one we have to go into thinking that we have a good chance of winning.

“They like to run the ball, and if the game is on and it’s wet they might not be able to do that, which could play into our hands.”

Supermarine players and coaches are planning to try and shift the snow themselves, but Russ is unsure if their efforts will be good enough to get the game on.

“If you were a betting man I guess the thing to bet on would be the game being off, and you certainly have to say it’s very doubtful,” he said.

“If the snow melts while it’s still on the pitch it’s going to be very wet, so I guess the main things is to try and get it all off.

“We are looking to try and clear it ourselves, but we are not sure if that is possible yet.

“The road leading up to the club is still covered in snow as well so that makes getting there difficult, and the last thing we want is someone hurting themselves while we do it.”

Elsewhere in the division, Wootton Bassett will be hoping to get back to winning ways if their visit to Trowbridge survives the weather.

Swindon also face a fight to get their game with Salisbury on as their Greenbridge Road pitch currently sits under three inches of snow, but fly-half Adam Westall is itching to play.

“We’ve not been able to train on the pitch for over a week now which has been difficult, but we have managed to get some fitness work in which is obviously good but not the same,” he said.

“We want to play, but the pitch is under three inches of snow so it is going to be very doubtful I would imagine.

“Most of our players are available to us so we have a strong squad if we can get a game on, but at this stage I would be surprised if we did.”

In the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier, Swindon College Old Boys are due to travel to Hungerford, but the game is also in doubt due to the freezing conditions.

Minety are due to go to Marlborough in Dorset & Wilts 1 North, while Cricklade are scheduled to travel to Fairford.