Chairman of rugby Graham Dawe claims finance means relegation is not an option for Plymouth Albion.

Albion take on Moseley on Friday, their first of six games in the Championship relegation play-offs.

Dawe told BBC Spotlight: "Championship rugby is essential to us because there is no parachute payment to keep this squad of players together.

"Relegation means you virtually lose everything - it's a tough ask but one team has got to do it."

Birmingham & Solihull and Esher are the two other sides battling against the drop from English rugby's second tier.

Whichever team finishes bottom of the group stands to lose more than £300,000 in payments from the Rugby Football Union.

Dawe said: "This first game is very important to us but it is a series of six games so whether we win or lose there's a long way to go, but we'll do our upmost to get a win as soon as we can."

In the two previous meetings between the sides this season, Albion won comfortably at Billesley Common before being held to a frustrating 6-6 draw in the reverse fixture at Brickfields.

"They hold no fear," added Dawe. "But we certainly recognise that they've got some good players and have got some experience throughout the side, so we're looking forward to the challenge.

"We don't think we've delivered for our supporters at home this season on a consistent basis so that's something that we want to put right."

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