HARWICH and Dovercourt Rugby Club are preparing for a tricky February.

The Eastern Counties League division two south high-fliers have big games on the horizon – starting with tomorrow’s trip to Ipswich YM.

After that they face fixtures against Sudbury, Colchester and and rivals Mistley. Harwich were left without a game last weekend, as scheduled opponents Stowmarket defaulted.

And coach Shane Manning believes the week off could prove a “blessing in disguise”.

“We couldn’t have a harder month ahead, with games against Ipswich YM, a cup game against Sudbury, who are leading the divison two above us, and Colchester, in a top-of-the-table game, before finishing off with our local derby against Mistley,” he said.

“Having the week off was probably a blessing in disguise, with a few players needing a rest. With the tough matches coming up, player management is really important.”