RHYS Morgan still has high hopes for his Ilkley side as they approach the closing weeks of the season.

With their place in National League Three North virtually assured – they are 14 points ahead of third bottom Huddersfield YMCA with a game in hand following last week’s win at Birkenhead Park – the head of rugby doesn’t want his team to take their foot off the gas.

“Funny things do happen in rugby and I have seen them,” said Morgan. “Until it as absolutely mathematically impossible for the bottom three to overhaul us, I will not consider our job to be done.

“Our prime object this season was to preserve our status, but I would not be happy with finishing fourth bottom. With five games to go we can push into the top half. That would be a feather in our caps.”

A more immediate objective for the Dalesmen is to rectify their erratic home form. In the past two campaigns Stacks Field has been a fortress, but this season the majority of Ilkley’s wins have come on their travels.

As his side prepared for their home clash with Wirral on Saturday, Morgan admitted: “It would be nice to put on a show for our loyal supporters.

“The boggy conditions and the quality of the opposition have made it tougher for us, but I am sure with a drier pitch to play on we can replicate our away form.”

Forwards Jon Hutchinson and Will Davies are both unavailable for Saturday but Morgan does have the experienced Nick Carolan and Charlie Davy available again along with recent signings Louis Gerome and Dan Metcalfe.