A bumper crowd is expected at Raven Park on Saturday, not only because it’s Colchester’s last home match of the season but also to celebrate the first team’s brilliant promotion to National 2.

After clinching the championship of Regional 1 South East with last weekend’s 12-27 victory at Oundle, Saturday’s match against Tring (kick-off 3pm) is the perfect chance to mark the season-long accomplishment.

But securing promotion with two matches to spare doesn’t mean the team will be taking their foot off the gas, if head coach Craig Burrows has anything to do with it.

“We said as a group straight after the Oundle match that our next focus is our last home game against Tring and the following one at Hertford, and we want to go out victorious on both those occasions.”

Tring arrive in Essex in ninth place in the table, fresh off a fine 33-18 home win over Harpenden. The reverse fixture - which was first postponed and then moved to Aylesbury RFC - saw Colchester victorious by 35 points to 13 in January.

Colchester will be forced into at least one team change as hooker Francois Rossouw, the team’s leading try-scorer, is unavailable for the match.

The table-topping Ravens have a weekend off, but they will be keeping a close eye on the match between Fakenham and Newmarket, because if Newmarket fail to get a maximum five-point win, the 2s will be promoted from Counties 2 with a match to spare.

The 3s travel to Ipswich 2s while the 4s are at home to Ipswich 3s (both matches kicking-off at 2pm).

So it’s bound to be a party atmosphere at Raven Park on Saturday, and a last chance for supporters to cheer on their outstanding team. Make sure you are there and in good voice!