Sheppey Rugby Club coach Rob Dengate wants to send Sittingbourne down - and sign their best players.

The Swale rugby rivals meet at Lower Road on Saturday (2pm) with Sheppey chasing points for their Kent 1 promotion bid while Bourne are in the relegation zone and Dengate wants to pile on the misery.

He said: “It looks at the moment like they could be going down and if they do, there’s a chance for some of their players to come across the bridge and play a higher standard. There are some good players there who I’d like to bring in. They’d be welcome.

“That will be the message, to try and send them down. There’s no love lost between the clubs and they’d be saying exactly the same if we were in their position. We’re looking to put another nail in their coffin.”

Sittingbourne edged the early-season Kent Vase meeting but Sheppey won the first league clash at the Grove.

The Islanders are also unbeaten at home and Dengate expects it to stay that way.

Dengate, whose side lost at Battersea in the Junior Vase last weekend, said: “We couldn’t ask for a better game after going out of the cup. We are, by a distance, the best side in Swale and they have a point to prove."

Sam Best misses the match through work commitments while Rob Allum is an injury doubt.