Bournville Head Coach Alex Grove believes that improved away form will be a key to success as his side prepare for their return to National Two West.
Bournville were relegated two years ago when their only win away from Avery Fields came at Devonport Services, who went down with them, in the final match of the season. Bourns won only once on the road in the 2023/24 season – again at Hornets in their last away match – but stayed up because of their strong home record.
Having cured their awayday blues, with significant victories at Stourbridge, Lichfield, Newport, Drybrook and Banbury, last season on their way to the Regional One Midlands title, Grove is looking for more wins and bonus points away this season which starts with a marathon trip to Redruth on Saturday.
“It’s no secret that our away form simply wasn’t good enough the last time we were in National Two. The reason we survived the previous season was because we picked up more homes wins despite our away form not being great either,” Grove said.
“Fundamentally we didn’t earn the right to stay in the league last time round. We got relegated but credit to the boys for sticking together and being really clear what their goals were last season and getting promoted at the first time of asking.
“We recognise the challenge is, yes, to pick up more home wins but to get a win on the road. Our last two seasons we have played in National Two it has taken until the last away win of the season for us to pick up our first away win. Let’s not dress it up, that is not good enough.
“That needs to be addressed. It has been addressed in as much as we have discussed it. But discussing it doesn’t get you any league points. We have to go and produce a win on the road early on.
“Last season we were good at home and away but, no disrespect to the other teams in Midlands One, it’s a different challenge altogether this season. Yes, I suppose last season we got into the habit of winning away but the reality is we have got to go and win in Level Four away from home sooner than the last away game of the season.”
Returning to National Two West means additional travel for Bourns with their only local derby being Luctonians close to the Welsh border in Herefordshire. There is a trip up the M6 to face Cheshire club Lymm and plenty of familiar journeys down the M5 with Devonport Services having returned as Regional One South West champions, Clifton following relegation from National One and Old Redcliffians, Taunton, Barnstaple, Hornets, Exeter University and Cinderford all having retained their places.
With no funding from the RFU to cover the extra travel costs it means that Grove has, in effect, got a reduced playing budget this season but he is full of praise for the players who have committed to play despite the increased travel and a smaller wage bill.
“There are huge demands on players in terms of their commitment level. We do have a tight group A lot of clubs refer to having a tight-knit squad but we genuinely have a squad that really cares about each other and about the club,” Grove said.
“That doesn’t happen overnight. That sort of culture is created by the players and driven by them. Their behaviours and habits and the things you have to do week in and week out are positive behaviours that drive a good culture. The players have been very deliberate about that and they have taken ownership of different parts of the club.
“They spend time with each other and they are a tight group. That’s brilliant and counts for a lot but we can’t just sit back rely on just that to keep us in the league. That’s the foundation but we have got to have quality on top of that and we have to go out and deliver because we are up against stronger opposition.
“We have got a smaller budget this season than we had last season and last season was not a big budget. On top of that we have got the added demands on the players’ time in terms of away travel – this applies to every club in the league,
“It is a shock going from level five to level four. The average return trip is four-and-a-half hours. That’s a significant commitment from the players, it’s a financial commitment from the club because a lot of those trips involve coach travel which isn’t cheap.
“We have seen other clubs voice their concerns and frustrations – from the North in particular – about the additional demands of the National Leagues. It’s not easy but when we got relegated last year the core of the group said this is what we are going after. We want to get promoted and now they have got promoted they want to go back and try and stay in the National Leagues which is a great challenge.”
Bournville go into Saturday’s league opener having played just one pre-season match – a three-period contest involving a squad of 31 – against Sheffield Tigers with a scheduled game against Bromsgrove at Avery Fields last week being cancelled because of the visitors’ training programme had been restricted by hard pitches.
“Pre-season is all geared to the first game of the season and, having a disjointed pre-season fixture programme due to ground conditions, we are looking forward to the Redruth game all the more,” Grove said.
