AFTER some testing times over the last few weeks, some will see Plymouth Albion's Championship game with second-from-bottom Doncaster as a home banker at Brickfields tomorrow (3pm).

The Devon club's assistant coach John Roberts is not one of them, however.

Although his team have undoubtedly turned a corner with positive performances in local derbies against the Exeter Chiefs and Cornish Pirates, Albion were handed another harsh lesson at Moseley last weekend.

After a positive start with skipper Kieran Hallett converting Sean Michael Stephen's third-minute try, Albion found themselves chasing the game in vain by the end of the opening half.

Therefore, the Plymouth men will need no reminding of how tough any Championship side can be.

"We were obviously disappointed not to get anything out of the game," said Roberts. "We needed a good start and we got a good start. But we lost momentum in the game as it went on and gave away some penalties. Very quickly we were struggling and having to play catch-up. And playing catch-up at this level is very difficult. Playing away from home in this league tends to present the biggest challenge."

Roberts' assertion about the perils of playing away are backed up by Albion's early season record – away, it's played three, lost three, while they've won two out of three at home. However, with their last performance at Brickfields seeing them famously sink the Pirates, there is cause for quiet optimism tomorrow.

"Hopefully, we're going to be able to reproduce some of the form we showed in our last home game," said Roberts. "We need that intensity again in attack and defence. We've had difficult fixtures, but they keep popping up every week – there are always difficult games and different challenges every week. Doncaster are really strong and I think it will be a really tough game on Saturday."

Tough as it may turn out to be, Donny will arrive in the Westcountry low on form and confidence having failed to gain a single victory this season. It is a situation that Roberts finds surprising given the Knights' potency on the way to a fifth-placed finish with much the same squad last season.

He said: "Everybody is probably surprised by what's happened to Doncaster so far, but they have got some real quality players. Before the season, they probably would have been in everybody's top-four list, they are a pretty strong outfit.

"They have the nucleus of last year's team. I know they have had some injuries and it seems like they have suffered with some results going against them, costing them some momentum, early in the season."

One player who will be keen to shift that momentum tomorrow will be Doncaster's former Albion forward Adam Kettle. The Scouse flanker, who spent just one season with Albion before setting off last summer, looks set to start for the visitors after escaping further punishment from the RFU for his double-yellow card sending off against Nottingham nearly two weeks ago.

His presence, along with the added determination normally shown by players taking on their former clubs, is naturally a concern for Albion chairman of rugby Graham Dawe and Roberts.

Roberts said: "Adam is a good rugby player and a strong ball carrier. He's going to be a danger because he does ask questions of the opposition defence. I'm sure he'll be trying his hardest to help Doncaster get their first win.

"The way they defend will also present its own challenge. They have quite a strong blitz defence and we'll have to work that out. They also have a good set piece – so the challenge for us will be to get on top of those two areas."

Prop Martin Rice has recovered from a shoulder injury and will start tomorrow in place of Ryan Hopkins. Danny Porte moves across to tighthead.

Plymouth Albion: G Kingdom; B Mercer, K Fisilau, S Tu'ipulotu, L Gibson; K Hallett (capt), R Cushion; M Rice, J Clark, D Porte; T Skelding, T Hotson, S-M Stephen, D Clayton, K Marriott. Replacements (from): A Davies, M Lee, J Nava, D Morton, R Hopkins, J Owen, M Lewis, W Sprangle, R Watts-Jones, J Waterhouse.