After two successive promotions, Oxford Harlequins face the unusual experience of a crunch relegation clash when they take on Clevedon in their last South West 1 match of the season at Horspath Road tomorrow (3).

Quins need a win to guarantee their place in their division and keep them on their stated course of reaching the National League.

Relegation would be a massive blow.

If they lose, Quins will only stay up if Chinnor win at Keynsham, currently occupying the third relegation position.

"I don't want our fate to be in other teams' hands," said Quins coach Matt Maudsley. "Our aim is to beat Clevedon, and I believe we have the weapons to do that."

Maudsley names an unchanged side from the one that suffered a narrow defeat at Cinderford two weeks ago.

So, Bryan Graham, an Oxford Cavaliers rugby league player, retains his place in the centre.

Meanwhile, fly half Chris Penney will be playing his last game for the club before returning to his native New Zealand to get married.

The 30-year-old Kiwi has been with the club since their formation in 1996 and has become a tactical general as well as a dependable place-kicker.

Clevedon will be no pushovers, as they are bidding to secure runners-up position and a promotion play-off berth.

Chinnor will be without influential No 8 James Kindon for the trip to Clevedon.

Conspiracy theorists have suggested that Quins being relegated might suit Chinnor, who were beaten by their local rivals in the Oxfordshire Cup final last month.

But this suggestion was rejected by Chinnor coach John Brodley.

"We'd much rather be facing Harlequins next season than Keynsham," he said.

"Anyway, we've got our own agenda. A victory could put us up to fifth, which would be our highest ever position."

Oxford's league season came to premature end. Thatcham, their scheduled opponents in Berks, Bucks & Oxon 1 tomorrow, scratched as they are unable to field a front row.

Chinnor (v Keynsham, away, 3): Cawston, Hewitt, Oxley, Brooks, McIvor, Cathcart, Phillips, Matthews, Cook, Milburn, Borgnis (capt), Du Toit Serdyn, Seymour, Johnson. Reps: Forster, Whelan, Wood.

Oxford Harlequins (v Clevedon home, 3): Boreham, Pooler, Nutt, Graham, Recchia, Penney, A Cope, Houston, Mitchell, DeLange, Pearce, Brusch, Stevenson, Baxter (capt), Nye. Reps: Noyce, Molyneux, Anderson.

Oxford Harlequins 3rd (v Wheatley, away, meet Horspath Rd, 1pm.