Oxford Harlequins director of rugby Matt Maudsley has played down suggestions of a discipline problem among his players.

But he admits they need to be careful after racking up seven yellow cards in three South West 1 matches.

Quins had prop Paul DeLange and scrum half Anthony Cope sin-binned in Saturday's victory over Weston-super-Mare.

Lock Dave Payne and wing Pete Davies saw yellow in the previous match at Coney Hill, while props Chris Aldous, DeLange and Nick Goodger were all binned against Chinnor.

Maudsley said: "I don't think it is a big problem.

"Against Weston it was just two very silly people, although Anthony Cope was a little unlucky.

"Paul DeLange has got to calm down. He could've been sent off and left us in trouble.

"These are silly errors that could cost us the game.

"What tends to happen with yellow cards is that we lose our focus.

"I want the players to be talking about the good things in the game and that's where we need to concentrate."

Quins finished 2007 in fifth place with 13 points, one less than they had this time last year.

As previously reported, there is still the spectre of a two-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player, but Maudsley's focus is firmly upwards.

"We've got to keep going," he said.

"Although promotion is out of the question, our aim is still on a top four position.

"The style of rugby we are playing is good.

"It is just about matching that with physicality."

Maudsley added: "The unfortunate thing is that Chris Alcock has gone and Andy Henley will be leaving in mid-January after the Bournemouth game.

"But we have Matt Young to come back after his groin injury and players like Tom Johnson can cover in the back row as well.

"We have more strength in depth than last year, but we are still having to play James Eckert in the second row.

"He is a prop, but he is doing a great job for us."