ALAN Hancock believes Oxford Harlequins are moving in the right direction despite a winless start to the season.

Quins sit bottom of South West 1 East, with two bonus points from six games, and travel to Windsor tomorrow.

With captain Allan Purchase out with a shoulder injury and several senior players unavailable, the Marston Ferry Road-based club have been blooding youngsters into the first XV.

The likes of 17-year-old Dion Taylor have been handed their first taste of senior rugby and Hancock is remaining upbeat.

“They are the future,” said Quins’ head of rugby.

“What we are doing is right and with key senior players away, I think we are going in the right direction.”

Props Ollie Barlow and Ramez Farahani come in for the trip to Berkshire, while flanker Robin Craig and centre Ollie Jenner return.

Hancock added: “We have not been clinical at times and the scoreboard has been very tight.

“We’re confident the first win is brewing.”

Grove had their four-match winning run ended a fortnight ago and bid to bounce back at home to second-placed Newbury Blues.

Witney host leaders Maidenhead, while Banbury face Old Patesians.

In National League 2 South, leaders Chinnor look to preserve their 100 per cent record when they host Bury St Edmunds.

They have averaged 49 points a game, but little has been said about their rock-solid defence which has only conceded 85 in seven matches.

Director of rugby Matt Williams said: “Yes, we can score a load of tries, but we create those points from how good we are defensively.”

Chinnor’s front-row rotation policy continues, with Ricky Cano, Jamie Townsend and Jay Tyack coming in.

Kieran Goss is selected on the wing, Danny Barnes switches to centre and fly half Sam Angell makes his first start of the season.

Chinnor will hope Old Elthamians, the only other side with a 100 per cent record, fall foul at Oxfordshire rivals Henley Hawks.

Alan Awcock returns at full back and hooker Stuart Philpott starts.

Connor Hayhow moves to centre and Liam O’Neill to the wing.

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Chinnor (v Bury St Edmunds, home): Castle, Goss, Barnes, Armitage, Lamont, Angell, Goodfellow, Cano, Townsend, Tyack, Hannay, Osazuwa, Parkins, Jones, Burns. Reps: Price, A Darlington, Manning, Thorpe, Hopkin.

Henley Hawks (v Old Elthamians, home): Awcock, Andre, Gardner, Hayhow, O‘Neill, Comben, Jackson, Abdel-Weir, Philpott, Chamnaiou, Clements, Albon, Hall, Morrison, Hyde. Reps: Emery, Moss, Lane, Davey, Perry.

Oxford Harlequins (v Windsor, away): Roberts, Fisilau, Crowe, Jenner, Van Dijk, Watkinson, O’Brian, Barlow, Edney, Farahani, Neal, Ojo, Ward, Craig, Alston. Reps: Teirney, Taylor, Bowes.

Banbury (v Old Patesians, home): Joe Mills, Daniels, Manley, Briggs, Deegan, Stoop, E Phillips, Paniagua, Isham, Key, Jacob Mills, Brock, C Phillips, Chilvers, Brand. Reps: O’Dwyer, Harden, Goode.