STROUD player-coach Sam Viggers insists his side are in ‘exactly the right place’ as the new season looms.

Viggers saw his side defeat Hucclecote 39-18 at Fromehall Park on Friday with Dan Gordon helping himself to a hat-trick along with scores from Matt Hunt, Tom Warden, Jake Marsh and Fin Sharp.

There were some outstanding individual performances with forwards Phil Middlemiss and Tom Warden leading from the front and Gordon impressing on his first run out.

Joe Asherford was efficient at the breakdown and the pace of Sharp showed he will be hard to stop this season.

Man-of-the-match went to Jamie Leaworthy for his constant work in attack and defence.

Viggers said: “I was very happy with the performance and it was step forward from our last pre -season game.

“We are only a few weeks away from the start of the league now so the team will start to take shape now.

“Competition for places is tight and the players have been made aware that the new league will see more physicality and more organisation and concentration to maintain pressure and keep possession.

Margins for error will be smaller and teams that make errors will be punished by the opposition.

“We are in exactly the right place that I had planned for the pre season training programme and with one final game to play against Swindon away this Thursday, we have one final chance to look at players before the selection process starts for September 5.”