It will only be their fourth league game, but Eastbourne and Bognor believe next week's meeting at Hampden Park could be a potential title decider in London Four South East.

Eastbourne boast a 100 per cent record and trail surprise leaders Betteshanger on points difference with Bognor a further two points behind in third place.

Both sides won last week, allbeit in contrasting style. Bognor rattled in eight tries at Askeans while a vastly understrength Eastbourne team were delighted with their 17-0 win over Beccehamian.

Eastbourne had 20 players unavailable for a variety of reasons. Even veteran Graham Shiret had to come out of retirement to sit on the bench before being allowed to rumble on for the last ten minutes.

Shiret expects the Gold and Blues to be back to full strength next week and is under no illusions as to the importance of the match.

He said: "It's a four-pointer, no question. None of the top four have played each other yet and once they do then we'll have a better idea of how things are going to work out in this league.

"It's hard to say what Betteshanger will be like because their three wins have been against the bottom three sides.

"We're not playing that well and it's a testament to the strength of the squad that we were able to win last week. I've never known a weekend like it, we had the lot: injuries, guys working and wives who are expecting and didn't want their husbands miles away just in case."

Along the coast, Karl Flynn is enjoying his first taste of captaincy with Bognor.

Flynn is a late recruit to the union code. He played the 13-a-side game for Runcorn Highfield in pre-Super League days on his native Merseyside before heading south and picking up the union thread at Hampshire Avenue.

In his fourth season with the club, he is delighted with their progress this season but knows next Saturday's game is a crucial yardstick.

"I think Eastbourne will be our closest rivals for promotion in what is going to be a very open league," said Flynn.

"But the good thing for us is that we are hitting form at the right time. We lost to Hove in the opening game and that has given us a kick up the backside to be honest, we've improved a lot since then.

"We're looking to have a good year. We want to win trophies and achieve things, I think that's what playing is all about and luckily the boys here feel the same."