Esher’s Championship survival prospects are now out of their hands but director of rugby Mike Schmid has not given up hope just yet.

Saturday’s 25-13 defeat to Moseley, which came after a poor first-half that had them 20-5 down at the break, left them rooted to the bottom of the relegation play-offs, nine points off London Scottish.

The Molesey Road outfit now have to record a bonus point win over Plymouth Albion in nine days and hope London Scottish lose to Moseley to set up a relegation decider against Scottish on April 21.

Despite the odds being stacked against them though, Schmid was determined his men would give it all they have got to avoid National One rugby next season.

“We haven’t been in anything quite like this before,” he said.

“We were in the relegation play-offs last season but we won our first two games which really takes the pressure off you. “We are where we are at the moment and we have to try to fight our way out.

“We have to get our attitude right going into what is one of the most important games of Esher’s season.

“We have to make sure we get everything right and play the way we need to play with intensity and passion.

“It is about us and how we play the game and we have to put the little mistakes behind us and concentrate on what happens next.”

Jonny Hylton marked his return from injury with Esher’s try in the first half and Seb Steggman added a second late on but they had left themselves too much to do to catch Moseley.

And it left Schmid lamenting his side’s poor first-half.

“It was disappointing,” he added.

“It was a game we obviously needed to win, and one which we could have and should have won.

“It is low at the moment as we know that we let ourselves down.

“We had two poor executions coming out of our half and they both cost us points.

“The tries were self-inflicted which was disappointing and very disheartening at this time of year.

“We bounced back and worked hard second half but once Moseley got that kind of lead they were always going to shut the game down.”