LONDON Welsh coach Lyn Jones says his team will keep doing all they can to escape relegation – and hopes the Exiles take further action over their five-point deduction and £15,000 fine, writes MARK EDWARDS.

Saturday’s defeat at Bath, coupled with Sale’s 33-33 draw at London Irish yesterday leaves the Exiles eight points adrift at the foot of the Aviva Premiership table, with still no word on whether they will take their appeal against their Rugby Football Union’s punishment for the Tyson Keats affair to the Court for Arbitration in Sport.

However, when asked whether the club were likely to go ahead with the appeal, Jones said: “I hope we do. But that is out of my hands.

“I’m not the right person to answer that question.”

Jones admitted Bath were the better side, but he had nothing but praise for his players’ commitment.

He said: “We knew there would be a big opening 20 minutes from Bath and they didn’t disappoint us.

“They were good, really good. But I’m pleased with the effort the boys put into defence and attack.”

He added: “We have had five away games on the trot and just two bonus points to show for it.

“We’ve got three fixtures left and we’ve just got to keep plugging away.

“There’s lots of spirit, lots of heart - there’s lots that’s good in our game. We’re just waiting for a little luck to perhaps shine down on us.

“Overall, it’s a fair result, but all I can ask our players is to give everything, every week and that’s what they’re doing.”

Asked where he had pinpointed the necessary points to come in the remaining three games of the season to avoid the drop, Jones was honest in his assessment.

“Against Northampton, London Irish and Worcester,” he said.

“We believe we can pick up points in all of those.”

Bath’s defence coach Mike Ford conceded that it had been a patchy performance from the home team, saying: “It was a bit more stressful than it needed to be – with five tries to one on the scoreboard.

“We started really well, very positive – two tries – and got 13 points up. “Then, for whatever reason we let them back into the game and they picked us off with three points here and there.

“I thought when Rokoduguni scored just before half-time that was a fairer reflection of the game, but they started the second half well.

“Then in the last 20 we got control of the game again.”