Ashford Rugby Club hope to end their poor run when they host Aylesford Bulls in the London South East 2 bottom-two clash at Kinneys Field on Saturday.

Eight successive defeats have taken the gloss of the club’s historic debut season in the division, having not won since a 51-12 victory in the reverse fixture on November 1.

The Bulls, meanwhile, are without a win and a point from their 15 games this season.

Ashford coach Lloyd Stokes has overseen training and preparation in a two-week break since the 24-7 loss at Thanet.

He said: "Aylesford are bottom for a reason, and we are second to bottom for a reason, but it is a must-win match for us.

"We played pretty well in the second half against Thanet, and we could and might have won against both Beckenham and Tunbridge Wells."

The game against Aylesford seems Ashford’s best chance of breaking their duck, going into the final six weeks of the campaign, before finishing with back-to-back home games against Crowborough and Old Colfeians.

Former player Stokes, 33, a senior sales manager for a software company, is looking no further than the end of the season as the club look for a permanent head coach to replace Gregor Dougall.

He said: "I enjoyed working with Gregor, a young coach like me given the chance of working with somebody who has 25-30 years experience in the game.

"I have got various commitments outside rugby and it won’t be my decision anyway."