SWINDON College Old Boys head coach Mark Lea believes his side can haul themselves to safety in Southern Counties North after a 29-11 home win over Drifters.

College recorded just their second victory of the season as they scored four second-half tries to come back from an 8-5 half-time deficit.

Lea believed the win against Drifters, who sit just two places above College in 10th place, was down to his side taking on board what had been worked on in training.

“They really implemented the things we have been trying to get them to do over the last month or so and we saw the fruition,” he said.

“Especially in the second half. We were 8-5 down at half-time and we asked them to change a couple of things at the break and they played some great rugby, scoring four unanswered tries.

“In the whole season there have only been three games that we haven’t been in right until the death and what they showed on Saturday was the composure to turn it into a win.

“Previously, maybe they lacked the composure to seal it off and we’ve lost it by the odd point.

“In the league we were in last year, you could probably put two or three phases together and break teams down, whereas now it is like a game of chess.

“You are looking to put together six or seven moves to create that gap and when you see that gap, you have to take it at this level.

“I am pleased they are starting to get the message now that they are not trying to score off the first phase all the time, they are looking to break teams down.”

College were only able to close the gap on second-from-bottom Thatcham by one point, after they beat Marlow 13-6, but Lea is still confident his team can reel their rivals in during the remaining seven games of the campaign.

“We’ve got some good fixtures coming up,” added Lea, who will use this weekend’s break as a chance to prepare his side.

“We have really got to be looking to get something out of the game against Marlow after the break.

“There are three out of four games coming up that we should really be looking to win.

“I do see us having a chance of picking ourselves off the bottom. The minus five points is hurting us but there is no reason why we can’t get three or four more wins before the end of the season.

“It just depends on availability, injuries and that composure in the team, and if we get things going our way we can compete with anyone.”