BOLTON rugby union head coach, Nick Holmes, wants his side to prove they deserve to remain in North One West in their do-or-die last game of the season against Penrith on Saturday.

Bolton, playing at the highest level in the club's history in North One West, face a final-day relegation battle to earn a second year in the division.

Currently the Cherry and Whites are 12th, level on 41 points with 11th-placed Eccles who face 10th-placed Carlisle as Bolton host fourth-placed Penrith.

Should Eccles beat Carlisle, Bolton would have to better their scoreline by 18 points in order to survive.

Bolton go into the game off the back of a hard-fought 26-12 victory over Wigton at Avenue Street last weekend.

It was a game they were expected to win against the league's bottom side, but they had to contend with unfavourable conditions.

Holmes said: "We know what we have to do. We have to win the game if we are to stay up.

"This is the highest the club has ever been and I want the players to go out there on Saturday with their heads held high.

"It is up to them to prove they can play at this level."

It is a task Holmes appreciates is a lot to ask of his team: "We've always pulled it out of the bag on the last day in previous years, but given the points difference it may be a step too far this time.

"On paper Eccles have the easier game but rugby isn't played on paper so we have to believe. We have to focus on ourselves, get out there and put some points on the board.

"Last week the players were fantastic in difficult conditions. We have several young, energetic lads in the side and we would have liked to have thrown the ball about a bit. But with the wind and weather as it was we had to dig deep and battle for the points."

The Cherry and Whites can still survive should they lose on Saturday via a losing bonus point. That is possible if they lose by no more than seven points and Carlisle defeat Eccles by more than that margin.

It is a possibility which Holmes has considered but is adamant they cannot rely on.

"We could pick up a bonus point but so could Eccles," he added. "We have to build on last week's performance, and if the conditions allow us to play the game we want to it should be an open game."

Bolton go into the game sweating over the fitness of several players, but back rower and stand-in captain, Ash Cooper, could be passed fit to play in time for Saturday's crunch match.