Halstead Templars Rugby Club coach Barry Poulter feels his team must learn lessons from their last two games.

Having got themselves to the summit of Suffolk Merit Table division two with a win against Thurston in January and then thrashing Mistley 65-0, things haven’t gone to plan for the Templars since then.

Waterlogged pitches have interupted the fixture schedule and when they have had games, the Halstead side have been unable to find their top form on the road.

It has led to defeats by Stowmarket and University of Essex that have seen Templars slip to second in the division two table and six points behind current leaders Thurston.

Poulter believes there is plenty that his players can learn from their last two games, though, and wants to see better when they return to home action tomorrow as they host Bury St Edmunds fourths at Courtauld Playing Fields (kick-off 2.30pm).

The Templars coach said: “The two games we have played since the lay-off due to call-offs and the weather have been disappointing for the team as we haven’t hit anywhere near our best form.

“Against Stowmarket, we were undone by two early tries and against Essex Uni, we scored early but couldn’t impose our game on them after that.

“To be effective in games we need to start well defensively and impose our attacking game on the opposition and when we do take the lead, not sit back and let the opposition back into the game."

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