Utility back Peter Lydon is calling on London Scottish to produce an 80-minute performance if they are to overturn the odds and take another step towards top-flight rugby.
The exiles Championship title dreams suffered a blow as they crashed 27-20 to a last minute Worcester Warriors try on Saturday, having recovered from a 17-3 deficit to lead 22-20.
Director of rugby Mike Friday’s men trail by five points going in to the second leg of the clash at Sixways tonight and Lydon, is confident his side have the ability to reach the final if they can make a fast start.
“We know in ourselves that we put in a good performance on the day, but we fell short at the end,” said the 22-year-old.
“In the first 20 minutes we went away from our game-plan from the week, but once we corrected that, we got back into it and I think we played the best rugby for about 60 minutes.
“We know moving forward that it is about getting it spot on right from the word go.
“We are good at ending games in most situations, but sometimes in the first 20 minutes or so, like against Worcester, we are killing ourselves off, and that is frustrating.”
Exiles boss Mike Friday will be fully aware his side cannot afford to stall in the return fixture, with Worcester’s final league total of 97 points – in comparison to their opponents’ tally of 64 – underlining their quality.
But as former Stade Francais star Lydon acknowledges, the Warriors’ tag as favourites could yet prove a heavy burden.
“We are only five points down. Everybody expects Worcester to make the final, so all the pressure is on them. We’re just eager to go there and cause an upset,” he added.
* The Greene King IPA Championship is the second tier of professional rugby union in England. To keep up-to-date with all the latest news follow @ChampRugby on Twitter, or visit rfu.com/championship
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