Sedgefield arrive in Hebburn bottom of the pile and without a win to their name but after a very worrying start when they were struggling for numbers, there is plenty of signs that they are turning the corner.

In contrast the Robin Hood sponsored outfit have been revitalised under the England player’s leadership with the club able to field two teams every week due to an increase in the playing staff.

But while results have been much better than last year, Taylor knows they could be doing much better.

She said: “I just want us to perform a lot better than we have in the last couple of weeks because it hasn’t been that we’ve made massive mistakes or we’re not good enough or we’re not fit enough, we’ve just let ourselves down rather than being outplayed by another team. And I think it’s easier to take a defeat if the other team were miles better than you but when there not and you know you are letting yourselves down I think that is more disappointing.

“So I just want them to perform, I want them to put into practice what they do really well on a Tuesday, and on a Thursday.”

One of those performances which was a disappointment was last week’s outing to Richmondshire when a poor start finished the game as a contest early.

Taylor said: “Richmond had a strong team and had some very good individuals but I think we let them play a bit too much rugby, especially in the first half when we were going downhill and we had the wind behind, we just weren’t very tactically aware.”

However there is still plenty to be positive about and Taylor is delighted with the way the club’s junior players have made the step up into senior rugby.

“You’ve got have a junior system I think to feed your senior side at any club,” she said. “But what’s been really pleasing over the last year is that our juniors really have come through. Our 16, 17, 18 year-olds are breaking into the squad and they are wanting to play for the first team and when they are they are just slotting straight in against people who are sometimes a bit bigger, a lot more experienced. But everyone who has played and come through the junior ranks has played really well. So that is massive for the future.

They will go into the game with a number of changes. Stuart McCracken and Scott Oliver are both unavailable this week but stalwarts Brian Shaw and Graeme Linsley are back after missing the Richmond game.

The seconds head off to Bishop Auckland with a number of the young lads Taylor has mentioned in their squad.

Curtis Richardson and Stephen Burg impressed last time out for the development squad who will also welcome back vice-captain Will Nelson after a few weeks out.