Moseley’s comprehensive victory over Esher last weekend was important in many ways, not least because it was their first success away in the league this season but it was also the first time they have put together back-to-back wins.

And it was also of symbolic significance - a sign that after beating Bristol and Doncaster they do not yet belong in the pigeon hole marked ‘Relegation Candidates’.

They might find themselves there in a few months time but for now there is hope that they can join the middle-ranking clubs like Donny and Leeds.

Indeed we might not yet be able to call them consistent but they have shown they could become so, providing the problem that undermined them at the start of the campaign - wild fluctuations in intensity - does not return.

But for now at least they have a happy balance between forwards and backs, between attack and defence and between fire in their bellies and ice in their veins. Andy Reay’s late winner against the Knights proved all of that.

And so, they returned from Molesey Road with a fourth win under the belts and having leapt two places up the table to ninth which now makes them the best placed team to take pot-shots at those above and maybe even drag one of the mid-table teams back into the scrap.

But can they escape the dreaded relegation pool? Rugby Correspondent Brian Dick examines the situation.

THE SCENARIO
Broadly speaking Moseley’s season has split into three parts. The first characterised by selectoral tinkering and vastly different performance levels, even within the same game.

The second saw Kevin Maggs settle on his front row, half back and centre combinations which resulted in a first victory and several narrow defeats.

And the current phase has seen basically the same team play most league matches with performances of a similar quality underpinned by growing cohesion and confidence. As a result Mose have won three of their last five league matches after a slow start.

With just eight Championship fixtures remaining Moseley are 14 points adrift from the top eight and having to make up a three win deficit and perform better in the remainder than Doncaster or Leeds.

THE FIXTURES
Moseley have four fixtures left at Billesley Common, where they have beaten Esher, Doncaster and Bristol and have begun to demonstrate a bit of form. It goes without saying that this represents their best hope.

With London Scottish, Leeds and Plymouth to come to Birmingham in the next few weeks the opportunity is there. Bedford arrive on the penultimate weekend.

The away matches against London Welsh, Bristol, Rotherham and Cornish Pirates, four of the top six, look pretty imposing and even if they can win their next three home games they are reliant on results elsewhere.

Doncaster play Leeds, Bedford, Esher and Rotherham at Castle Park and it is not difficult to see them winning at least twice. Away from home they have four testing prospects at Plymouth, Nottingham, London Welsh and Bristol.

Leeds have only three home games left, two of which they will expect to win against London Scottish and Esher. They will also be hopeful of picking up something on the road at Doncaster, Moseley and Plymouth.

The situation is less relevant below but Plymouth play London Scottish, Moseley and Esher all away from home.

If Mose fail to make the top eight their concern then switches to how many points they start the relegation pool ahead of Esher.

Mike Schmid’s men will expect to break their duck even before they take on Plymouth and London Scottish at home in the last month.

LUCKY WITH INJURIES
The squad is, as the waiter serving Monty Python’s Mr Creosote put it ‘Waffer theen’. There is a modicum of depth in the second row, back row and at scrum half but there are nothing more than ‘options’ throughout the rest of the side.

There are certain players Moseley cannot afford to be without - not least hooker Adam Caves who is emerging from the ranks as a leader, highly effective in his own role and increasingly influential across the whole side.

Andy Reay has also shown that his excellent end to last season was no flash in the pan. The captain is the club’s leading try scorer and main line-breaker and everyone at Billesley Common will hope his rib injury is not too serious.

And the value of his midfield partner Greg King was never more apparent than when he wasn’t there for the 60-plus point defeat at Nottingham. Moseley are a different prospect defensively when the former Worcester man plays.

Craig Voisey has also plugged the hole at tighthead and in doing so has become extremely important to the Mose scrum. They either need to keep him fit or give him suitable back up.

TACTICS
While the selection pendulum at fly half appears to have swung back Brad Davies’ way, the pressure to include Ollie Thomas is higher than ever before - and not only because of his goal kicking.

If Moseley are to produce five or six more victories they need to win a few kicking battles, especially at home and Thomas’ extra length is the main weapon in their arsenal. But where to play him?

There have been signs, but not yet conclusive proof, he is developing into the fly-half everyone wants him to be and he always adds an attacking option from full back. Surely the time for shoehorning him on to the wing has passed, if only because Billy Robinson and Brad Hunt have brought a nice balance to the three-quarter line.

He played full back to good effect at Esher where Mose benefitted territorially from his massive boot in a game when they were on top for the large part.

WHAT THE COACHES SAY
Kevin Maggs could be forgiven for ruing the defeats at Leeds and Plymouth where Mose lost by a point to a late score. How different the picture might have looked.

But he has always remained upbeat about the chances of making the promotion play-offs.

“It feels a lot better looking at the table and seeing us ninth rather than 11th but it’s not really about that,” the head coach claims.

“It’s about us and our performances and our need to keep winning. We have got a few home games now and we need to make sure we win those and see where that takes us.

“It is a concern for all coaches of part time sides how often you can keep asking the same players to go back and draw from the same well.

“We have got to keep the boys motivated and the other lads have to put pressure on them for their places,” he added.,

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAY
Like their coach most prefer to comment on process rather than outcome but if it is possible to generalise there is an acceptance the first half of the season has left them with a hill to climb.

However, the recent upswing in processes and outcomes has imbued them with the belief they can negotiate the ascent.

“We came out on top at Esher but we have to keep coming out on top to get ourselves out of this hole we are in,” says full-back Anthony Carter. We are working hard in the week, which a lot of people don’t see, and it’s pleasing it’s transferring into the games.

“We don’t fear anyone, we are in a position where we can score tries against anyone and we have tightened up leaks in our defence.”

WHAT THE SUPPORTERS SAY
The tone on the Moseley supporters’ messageboard has some contributors who view regular season victories as single-point insurance instalments for the play-offs. Others are more optimistic with one poster claiming: “Yes we can still get out of the bottom four!! Believe. If we can get a few more wins and bonus points (try or losing) and Leeds have a bit of a bad run. It is possible!”

THE POST SAYS
It is possible but not probable. It is not at all difficult to envisage Moseley winning another four or five matches, it is, however, difficult to see Doncaster or Leeds not winning at least a couple more and that makes it tight.

However, even if Mose do end up narrowly missing out on the top eight they must view how close they come as a positive and not be deflated by the near thing as they were in 2010.

Moseley have shown in recent weeks they have nothing to fear and that they belong in the Championship.

As it stands in the Championship: