Moseley head coach Ian Smith has warned his team that they need to show greater mental strength if they are to end their three-year exile from National One.

The Billesley Common side got back to winning ways last Saturday when they demolished Harrogate 35-19 but a slipshod performance in the second half, in which they failed to heed Smith's halftime instructions and leaked three tries, was of serious concern.

Smith expressed disquiet that his men have shown a lack of killer instinct against teams - particularly in the top-of-the-table clash at Esher which stands as their only defeat of the season - and added that their recent defensive performances had not been good enough.

"We have got to rebuild our defensive game," Smith said.

"We started quite well but it seems we have lost concentration. We need to discuss it and work on it because if we are going to be successful we must be defensively sound."

Smith must also try to perm a competitive back row in time for this weekend's Trophy match with Stourbridge, despite the absence of seven players in the back three.

With Neil Mason back at Worcester for the next few weeks, he could return to the matchday 22 against Leicester Tigers on Friday and, with David Hunt, Charlie Daniell, Tom Warren, Mark Evans Nick Southern and Tom McIntosh out with various knocks, Smith is anxious for the healing process to hurry itself. For that reason he has taken Warriors' academy flanker Craig Everitt on loan and the Welshman could come straight into the reckoning for Saturday.