JIM Kelly is bored of being seventh in the National Three London table and is hoping to see Basingstoke climb the league with a win in front of their home fans this weekend.

’Stoke have occupied seventh spot since October but last weekend’s 35-12 victory over Haywards Heath moved them level with Dorking and a win away from fourth.

Saturday’s visit of Bishop’s Stortford (kick-off 3pm) will complete the first half of the season and head coach Kelly wants to hit the midway point inside the top six.

“I am getting bored of being seventh each week,” he said. “Dorking are struggling so Saturday is a chance to move up. That would give us something to build on in the second half of the season.

“We’re not going to get promoted but we have certainly got the potential to finish in the top six, which has got to be the aim.

“If we have 37 or 38 points then we will go into the second half of the season targeting at least 70 points, which I think could even put us in the top five.”

’Stoke have struggled at home so far this season, winning just once in five outings at Down Grange, but a big crowd is expected on Saturday, as the match is being sponsored by main sponsor the Champion Group, and Kelly is determined not to let them down.

“Of course we would like to win in front of a big crowd,” he said. “We want to keep improving.

“The home form is not a worry because we have played most of the top teams at home in the first half of the season. We have got a lot of the teams below us coming up at Down Grange now so I expect that to improve, while the away form might not be as good.”

’Stoke go into the game having won five of their last seven but Stortford’s form is even more impressive. The Hertfordshire side have won their last three and recorded a resounding 65-18 win at home to Portsmouth last week.

“Bishop’s Stortford had a good result at the weekend and are one place behind us in the table so it should be two evenly matched teams,” Kelly said. “They are in form and have been racking up some big scores so it should be a good game.

“If we build on our second half display from Saturday, we will be confident of winning.”

Kelly will welcome back scrum-half Jamie Fish, while flanker Sam Harding, who missed out due to a head injury, should also return.

Utility back Mike Goodall is also back in the frame after recovering from an injury picked up in pre-season, while second row George Scott has returned from overseas.

Simon Buckland is hoping to continue his comeback by playing for the second string this week but prop Ollie John is set to be out for a while after tearing his hamstring.