BRIDGWATER & Albion may have slipped to seventh in the league table going into this weekend, but director of rugby Geoff Sluman feels they have 'turned a corner'.

Albion lost 44-30 at St Ives last Saturday, their fifth defeat from six matches, but Sluman was still pleased with much of what he saw.

“The collective effort was excellent and was the response we were looking for," he said.

"Our response was positive, our work rate was excellent, the individual mistakes drastically reduced and the cohesion much better.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game, but the longer the game went on the better we looked and, while it counts for little in the result, we definitely finished as the stronger team.

“It feels like the performance turned a corner for us and we are now back on the upward trajectory.

“We had a couple of debuts and players scoring their first tries for the club, so we are adding to the depth of our playing resources.”

Next up for Albion is a home match with 12th-placed Teignmouth tomorrow.

Sluman added: "The test of all of the above will be over the next couple of games.

"The run up to Christmas is always a bit of a stretch.

"Now we host Teignmouth, and traditionally there has been plenty of competition and close games between us.

"I know that whichever group of players we select for the game, they will want to put in a great performance."

Albion's fellow South West 1 West side North Petherton, meanwhile, are away to Devonport Services tomorrow.

Pethy are on a good run of form and have made it up to fifth place in the table, while Devonport are 10th, albeit just three points behind tomorrow's visitors.

On Sunday, North Petherton Ladies travel to face Chew Valley Ladies.