Hayes has represented England at Under-16 and Under-18 level

Bristol hooker Ollie Hayes says he is using the home defeat by Doncaster in September as his motivating force to return the favour at the weekend.

Paul Hull's side face a trip to Castle Park on Saturday looking to make amends for an abject first-half display in the 26-10 loss at the Memorial Stadium.

"I think a lot of the team are using that," Hayes told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We don't want to forget it as they didn't just beat us around the field but in the pack as well."

Hayes continued: "I've definitely got it in my head that I want to focus on the scrum and I hope everyone else has."

Coach Hull added: "We had a really, really bad day in the first half of that game and it was really the decision making.

"It wasn't down to our endeavour and commitment and we've improved as a team, on our game management and in attack and in defence."

After a poor start to the season Bristol are slowly improving having achieved back-to-back wins for the first time in six months.

We don't really like being in eighth and for who we are and what Bristol is as a club we should be a lot higher in this league Ollie Hayes

The followed up a 20-19 victory away at Plymouth with a 30-17 home win against Esher.

"It's been massive really to get two wins on the bounce," said the 20-year-old.

"We lost to Esher away so we had to win that [at home] and Plymouth was good as they always want to dog it out and they did."

Hayes has only been a hooker for four years after converting from loose-head prop and has made great strides in that time.

Coach Hull has already nominated him his first-choice this season ahead of the more experienced David Blaney and Ross Johnston.

But the Bristol academy graduate is quick to credit his fellow hookers for helping him improve his game.

"Blaney's helped me out with the scrum a lot as he's a very technical hooker," said Hayes.

"When I first started, I'll be honest, I didn't really know what I was doing in there.

"And Ross has got a great throw and I try and base my throw on his."

Bristol are currently in the last play-off place in the Championship but could move up to seventh should they win and Rotherham lose.

"We don't really like being in eighth and for who we are and what Bristol is as a club we should be a lot higher in this league," he said.

"We should be top four and we hope to achieve that by the end of the season."

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