AMERSHAM and Chiltern chief Richie Williams believes his side can bounce back to National League Three at the first attempt following last season’s relegation.


He said: “It’s going to be difficult but the early signs are encouraging. Last season I thought we were good enough to stay up but our inconsistency and injury list let us down. Our aim last season was to finish in the top half and we massively underachieved.


“Our squad is arguably stronger this season and the aim is certainly to go straight back up. We’ve got more of an attacking threat this season.


“When we went down, we got our heads around it and put contingency plans in place to get new players in.


“I think we are good enough to play in National Three and to stay there. The infrastructure of the club is set up for it.”


Player recruitment went well in the summer. Centre Aaron Doyle and scrum-half Andy Fluker are over from the rugby hotbed that is New Zealand while the club is also profiting from its relationship with Nottingham Trent University which has seen them pick up students, including former RGS No. 8 Jordan Scott, who are on placement in London.


The new recruits have bedded in well. The team made it two wins out of three in the league with a resounding 41-10 victory over Luton to move up to third in London One North ahead of tomorrow’s clash against leaders Thurrock, which Williams believes will be a real barometer for them.


Joe Butler set them on their way to Saturday’s win with the opening try after five minutes which was converted by Fluker, who gave George Wood’s try the same treatment.


A Luton penalty made it 14-3 at the break before Amersham really stepped on the pedal.
Sam Portland strolled over in the corner for try number three and the bonus point was secured 10 minutes later when man-of-the-match, flanker Andy Zair, powered over for the first of his two tries, again converted by Fluker.


Scott touched down for their sixth and final try under the posts with Butler converting before finishing off Chiltern’s scoring with a drop goal.


Williams said: “Winning is a habit but we know it is going to be difficult. Because of the status we had last year teams are going to want to beat us. We want to go back up but so do Tring and Civil Service, who got relegated with us.”