Kevin Maggs hopes to have this week found an antidote to the syndrome that renders his Moseley side incapable and indomitable in equal measure.

Moseley face London Welsh at Billesley Common on Saturday seeking to break a sequence of matches in which they have fallen behind in the first half only to come on strong after the break.

Indeed, it doesn’t even seem to matter where Maggs’ men play, almost identical opening period no-shows at Doncaster and London Scottish sandwiched a disappointing first 40 in their last home match against Esher.

They were able to turn things round and beat Esher 35-21 but in their most recent outing, at the Athletic Ground last Sunday, not even three quick-fire tries were enough to overhaul their 24-0 deficit.

And as ever it’s the hope that hurts and for Maggs the frustration of seeing his team rip opponents to pieces when they are on task, is raw when they are not.

“We were pretty good with the ball in the second half (against Scottish), we scored a try off first phase and a couple of other good ones,” Maggs said.

“That just goes to prove when we go forward and keep the ball we are a dangerous side.

“I am confident in the lads and if we put an 80-minute performance together we are going to crucify somebody. It’s how we get that 80-minute performance everyone, every week.”

They will need that – and probably more, against Welsh and in contrast to last week, when he gave his players a few days off, the head coach has this week favoured the stick over the carrot.

However, he denies the more laissez-faire approach was a factor behind the terrible start against Scottish.

“I thought the effort they put in against Esher in the second half warranted them to have a couple of days off,” he maintained.

“There were a few boys who were battered and bruised, they needed a rest and we need to keep our front line players available every week.

“If we don’t manage them properly we haven’t a big enough squad to manage the season if we don’t do that.

“We can’t beast them every day of the week, it’s about managing them right and trying to get the best out of them all the time.

“Again we got one half out – a bit like Doncaster, we got a second half there and a second half (at Scottish). It’s going to take an 80 minute performance to beat teams and if we don’t do that we are going to struggle.”

Moseley will be desperate to make up for the corresponding fixture last year when they conceded ten tries in a 68-point drubbing. The Exiles are currently second with four wins from five.