Moseley will have hooker Adam Caves available for the first time in five weeks for tomorrow's National One grudge match with Coventry.

The 25-year-old has just completed a second enforced spell on the sidelines this term having not played since damaging his shoulder in the home defeat to Northampton at the end of last year.

But having trained well in the last fortnight he is back in contention to play at Billesley Common, assuming he can oust dual registered Gloucester youngster Ross McMillan.

His return could not be better timed. Coventry visit this weekend with both clubs not only looking to secure their status as the pre-eminent National League team in the region but also cast out any lingering concerns in the bottom half of the table.

Coventry are relatively secure in ninth place, 19 points clear of the relegation zone, while Moseley are rather more perilously placed in 13th although they too have a handy 12-point buffer.

If Moseley are victorious they would move to within three points of the Blue and Whites, with a game in hand and they will be motivated by revenge having been embarrassed 43-16 when the sides met at Butts Park earlier this season.

Caves played in that game, though there is no guarantee he will start this one: "Ross McMillan has been fantastic," said head coach Smith. "In the last few weeks he has been outstanding and it may be that Adam has to work his way back in from the bench."

Nevertheless Caves' availability will be a boost to Smith who knows his team must be more physical if they are to reverse October's loss.

"We lacked an edge up there. Coventry certainly had it and when they intensified the physicality we just backed off. We had some key players missing that day but the ones we needed to step forward took a backward step after that the outcome was academic."

That was not a problem at Newbury last time out when Moseley won at Monks Lane for the first time under Smith.

Tries for Dan Norton, Alistair Dickinson and Paul Arnold gave the visitors a creditable 24-22 victory in what was a pleasing, though not perfect performance.

"Technically there were a few things we need to work on and there were a few individual errors that cost us three tries but the team ethic was outstanding," Smith said.

"We have to maintain that level week in week out now because although we are much improved from when we last played Coventry, they will be too."