Stourbridge's director of rugby Neil Mitchell has mixed feelingsat the prospect of facing local rivals Moseley at home in the Powergen National Trophy.

The West Midlands derby means a handsome pay-day for the Stourton Park outfit but playing at home has proved to be of no advantage at all to Stourbridge in the past ten months.

Their only home win since December last year came against Rosslyn Park in the fourth round of the Trophy and the long run of defeats there includes a 20-7 reverse against Moseley in a National League Two match in September and a 43-3 hammering by Waterloo last weekend.

"Apart from the financial benefits a home draw brings we would have preferred to have been drawn away," the former British Police captain said. "I'm not joking. We have a fantastic away record but we just don't seem to be able to win at home. It's something that we can't put our finger on.

"But it's something we'll discuss at length in training this weekend; hopefully the prospect of a home game against Moseley will concentrate our thoughts.

Moseley's win at Stourton Park in September was their first victory over Stourbridge in five league meetings between the clubs.

Mitchell thought that there was little to choose between the sides that day but accepts that Moseley, whose only defeat this season came at Esher on October 22, have improved since then.

He said: "I think that Moseley are a far stronger team now than when they beat us.

"They have their heads up, are playing with confidence and they will want to come here and complete a double over us.

"We are still trying to find a bit of consistency but it's a cup game and if we can raise our game then anything can happen."

The hosts will have to take on Moseley without former Tonga back-row forward Hese Fakatou and winger Roman Piotrowski, both of whom are on loan from Pertemps Bees.

Fakatou and Piotrowski were not allowed by their director of rugby, Phil Maynard, to play in the Trophy game against Rosslyn Park because an appearance for Stourbridge would have cuptied them.

Mitchell said: "We'd like to play them both against Moseley but I suppose you can't blame Bees for their decision."

The game will also pit the former Moseley and Coventry lock against his one-time club-mate Ian Smith, a former Scotland and Gloucester flanker who ended his playing days at the Reddings.

Smith rejoined Moseley as head coach last year after spells coaching at Newport and Gloucester. Mitchell is looking forward to renewing their friendship.

"Smithy is a top boy and he's doing a good job at Moseley," he said. "We didn't really get much time to have a chat after the league game here in September because we both had a lot of things to do after the game. Hopefully we will have a bit more time to have a natter about old times and how things are going after this week's game."