“We’ve highlighted the feel-good factor we had after that game in September and how we then got well beaten at Moseley,” Maynard said. “We have to remember that all we have done is won a game, and we have to focus our minds on what is another very difficult away game for us.

“We are going up to challenge them and not to roll over but if we don’t get it right it could be like Exeter was two weeks ago.”

Maynard knows the 23-21 win at Welsh – secured by a Myles Dorrian drop goal from the last act of the game – has put an extra spring in the step of everyone at the club. “London Welsh was important for us in terms of setting the agenda for the rest of this season and the Championship next year,” he said. “We have got to raise the bar, and it was vital for us as a club.”

Loan winger Will Hurrell, after an impressive debut at Welsh, has been released from England Academy training to play in an unchanged team. Scrum-half Tom Slater, prop Dai Maddocks and lock Sam Herrington should figure after injury. Nottingham welcome back skipper and back row Craig Hammond, out for five weeks injured, but remain without influential centre Tim Molenaar.

The teams have seven wins apiece in 14 league games but Nottingham have shaded recent exchanges and did the double last season, winning at Meadow Lane 34-6. Maynard said: “Apart from one or two additions, it’s the same Nottingham that nearly got relegated three years ago. They stuck at it and have developed a strong team culture and, with the confidence that grows from that, they just keep winning.”

Nottingham’s director of rugby, Glenn Delaney, former Coventry second row, says: “This is another big test for us and Midlands derbies are always exciting games. We played some fantastic running rugby against Manchester but our discipline was poor and if we give away that many penalties against Coventry they will make us pay.”

Coventry: Russell; Hurrell, Sanders, Dixon, Winter; Dorrian, Jones, Ovens, Whitehead, Brits, Burgess, Lyons, Venter, Miller, McGlone. Reps: from Hayes, Slater, Pearl, Dugard, Maddocks, Herrington, Clayton, Bell, Pons, Thomas.

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