BOSSES at Redditch RFC are planning an appeal after the Bromsgrove Road side was docked points to leave them languishing at the foot of the table.

The Kingfishers had four points deducted to leave them locked with whipping boys Handsworth at the bottom of North Midlands One (South).

Head coach Dave Parsons admitted that if they fail to get the decision overturned, the team face an uphill task in their bid to win promotion.

The confusion centred around flanker Sean Gamble, back at the club where he started out as a junior.

"Sean played for us as a junior before heading off to Worcester's Academy," Parsons explained. "He is back with us now but it turned out that he wasn't registered with the RFU despite being our player in the first place.

"We have been docked four points but will be lodging an appeal because it was not done maliciously - it was just a misunderstanding."

Redditch are without a league game this weekend so head to Droitwich for a friendly.

And Parsons is hoping to have influential flanker Gareth Davies back in contention after a torn leg muscle on the opening day of the season has kept him on the sidelines.

"Gareth is close to making a comeback and that will give us a massive boost both on and off the pitch," the coach added.

Redditch Exiles are finalising plans for the club's first Veterans Tournament to be held at the Bromsgrove Club next Easter.

Wayne Sharpe, one of those behind the competition, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to spread the name of the club and the strengthen links we have already with our rugby playing cousins abroad."

Two French sides and one from Belgium have already signed up for the tournament along with Stourbridge, Dudley Kingswinford and Tynesiders Northern.