MATT Banahan is warning that Bath will be coming up against a wounded animal when they host bottom-of-the-table London Welsh this weekend.

The Premiership’s basement side lost their appeal against a points deduction for fielding the ineligible Tom Keats in 10 fixtures this season on Tuesday and currently sit five points adrift of 11-placed Sale Sharks.

The Exiles were beaten 15-14 at Gloucester last weekend and Bath centre Banahan thinks that his side could be in for a testing time at the Rec tomorrow (kick-off 2.15pm).

“The game against London Welsh is going to be a massive one,” said the 26-year-old.

“They’ve got nothing to lose and everything to lose at the same time. Even with those five points taken away, they’re going to be fighting for their lives and they’ll throw everything into the battle against us.

“But when we’re playing at the Rec, it’s all about that blue, black and white – I love every game that I play there and you’ve got to be confident at home.”

Bath are looking to keep their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Heineken Cup alive after last weekend’s defeat at Sale, which coupled with Northampton’s bonus point triumph over Wasps, leaves their chances of a play-off berth hanging by a thread.

Banahan added: “We’re now relying on other results to go our way and it’s going to be difficult but all we can do is keep going and concentrate on the last four games of the season.

“We’ve had new coaches and a new set-up this season and we’ve been trying to build things for the future.

“Every player wants to be playing in the top competition and the first thing to think about it trying to get a top six finish so that we can be back in the Heineken Cup next year.”