MIDDLESEX and HERTFORDSHIRE will shoot it out at Staines RFC on Saturday, ko 3.00pm, in the relegation decider with a place in the top tier of County Championship rugby at stake.

Neither side has managed to register a win this season with Herts beaten 32-9 by title favourites Devon last weekend and Middlesex going down 39-7 away in Gloucestershire.

Herts will start as marginal favourites with the praise of Devon coach Graham Dawe ringing in their ears. They held the 2004 and 2005 champions to 12-9 at half-time with Chris Rainbow (Newbury) kicking three penalties. And the back-row of Rainbow, Ian Hardcastle (Westcombe Park) and captain Dave Archer (Henley Hawks) made life hard for Devon all day.

"It was a tough game," said former Bath and England hooker Dawe. "But we should not have been surprised considering the way they played at our place last year. They are strong over the ball in the tackle and they got away with slowing the ball up, so credit to them for that."

Herts expect to be unchanged at Staines and manager Gwyn Williams said: "We did well against Devon and just couldn't convert our possession into points. But the players have been working really hard and they're really up for it against Middlesex when it'll be winner takes all."

Middlesex have showed they can be competitive in patches against a strong Gloucestershire side at Lydney where London Nigerians lock Junior Harrison scored their only try.

"We gave away too many points in the first half when they got to 24-0 up before the conditions were in our favour," said manager Bob Lawless, whose side were promoted to the top tier this season. "It's massively important for us to stay at this level and a lot depends on how our injury list pans out."

Esher flanker Tom Carruthers (cheekbone) and London Welsh wing James Cornish (ankle) are the two major doubts. But player-coach Graham Barr returned at scrum-half for the Gloucester game and there may be more players from National One side London Welsh available this week. Coach Florent Rossigneux could feature on the pitch too, after the former London Welsh and Racing Club flanker made a second-half sortie from the bench in the Westcountry.