Check out our predictions ahead of the weekends games.
NATIONAL THREE NORTH
Darlington Mowden Park v Blaydon
Fourth placed Blaydon travel to seventh placed Darlington Mowden Park for this North East derby.
Mowden Park have yet to win at home this season in the league losing to Bradford & Bingley and drawing 28 all with Hoppers. They have managed just nine tries to date compared to the 21 run in by Blaydon but in the tries conceded column it is much closer with DMP conceding 11 and Blaydon nine.
Blaydon warmed up for this match with a resounding away win against Broadstreet in the National Trophy last weekend running up 60 points. They have already beaten DMP in the Cup this season as they look to make it four wins out of five and keep the pressure on the sides above them in the league.
Blaydon won this fixture last season convincingly 21-5 but DMP reversed it at Crow Trees with a 34-13 for an away win as honours were shared by the North East rivals.
Prediction: Away win by seven points.
Fylde v Cleckheaton
13th placed Fylde take on 11th placed Cleckheaton knowing a win will take them above the Yorkshire side in the league table.
Fylde were big winners in the Cup last weekend thrashing Kendal 68-6 and after a shaky start seem to be finding some form with a good performance against Bradford & Bingley last time out in the league. They have though struggled to score tries and have managed just eight so far with only Kendal and New Brighton scoring fewer.
Cleckheaton turned in a tremendous performance last Saturday knocking fellow Yorkshire side Harrogate out of the National Trophy in convincing style. They were also winners last time put in the league with their first win of the season as they beat Darlington Mowden Park 29-5.
Fylde were comfortable winners in this fixture last season 58-22 having lost at Cleckheaton earlier in the season 19-17.
Prediction: Home win by nine points.
Kendal v Tynedale
Bottom of the table Kendal take on seventh placed Tynedale looking for their first win of the season. Both sides were dumped out of the Powergen National Trophy last Saturday, Kendal were thrashed at Fylde whilst Tynedale went down to National Two league leaders Moseley.
Kendal need something to happen to turn their season round after getting thumped at Fylde last Saturday in the Powergen National Trophy and having lost all four of their league matches so far this season.
They have scored the fewest tries, seven, and conceded the most, 24, in National Three North this season and lost both home matches by more than 30 points.
Tynedale were knocked out of the Powergen National Trophy last Saturday by National Two leaders Moseley but did manage to run in four tries themselves. Away form home in the league they have won one and lost one. The victory was a comprehensive one at Fylde whilst the defeat was against North East rivals who scored a late try to stop them picking up a losing bonus point.
Kendal were 17-14 winners in this fixture at Mint Bridge last season but at Tynedale Park the home side ran out comfortable 45-27 winners.
Prediction: Away win by six points.
Leicester Lions v Hull Ionians
Sixth placed Leicester Lions entertain 10th placed Hull Ionians looking to get back to winning ways.
Leicester Lions will be looking to get back to wining ways after making a great start to life in the National Leagues they have slipped to successive defeats and will see this as a good opportunity to stop the losing run. Their two defeats were against a couple of the fancied sides in the division, Blaydon away and Nuneaton at home.
Ionians will see this as a good time to play the Lions who after successive defeats might just be having a few doubts about life in the Nationals. They have lost both matches on the road this season but did pick up a bonus point at New Brighton losing by just three points.
These two sides met for the first time ever in league rugby.
Prediction: Bubble burst! Home win by three points.
Macclesfield v Bradford & Bingley
Eighth placed Macclesfield have home advantage as they take on second placed Bradford & Bingley. Both sides won home matches in the 4th round of the Powergen National Trophy last weekend. Macclesfield were winners over fellow National Three North side Darlington whilst the Bees beat National Two side Orrell convincingly at Wagon lane.
Macclesfield have had an up and down season to date and need to find a run of form but this may not be the match to start that run. They have picked up just one win at home this season in their first match when they beat Hull Ionians, since then they have lost to Leicester Lions and drawn with Preston.
The Bees have made a good start to the season and will see this as a match they must win if they are going to have an real chance of challenging for a top two spot come the end of the season. They have won twice on the road this season at Cleckheaton and Darlington Mowden Park so this is their biggest test to date.
Bradford & Bingley were winners at Macclesfield last season 26-18 as they did the double over the Cheshire side winning 19-14 at Wagon Lane.
Prediction: Away win by eight points.
New Brighton v Preston Grasshoppers
Third placed Preston Grasshoppers travel to 12th placed New Brighton looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
New Brighton have made a poor start to the new season but have a much changed side and will need a while to mould together and have played just the one match at home so far this season. That they won against Hull Ionians but in two of the three away matches they put up good performance against top five sides Darlington and Nuneaton losing by just five and eight points respectively. .
Hoppers need to tighten up in defence to make progress up the table as they seem able to score tries but also are conceding too many as well. They are the second highest try scorers in the division with 21 in four matches but have conceded more tries than any of the other sides in the top five with 12.
Hoppers have two wins and two high scoring draws in their opening four league matches of the season.
These two sides meet again after a season apart.
Prediction: Away win by nine points.
Nuneaton v Darlington
Leaders Nuneaton entertain fifth placed Darlington who were knocked out of the Powergen National Trophy last Saturday at Macclesfield whilst Nuneaton took the weekend off.
Leaders Nuneaton take on high scoring Darlington with the meanest defence in the division. The Nuns have conceded just four tries all season easily the lowest total in the division. They have picked up three wins on the road so far and played just once at Liberty Way in the league this season beating New Brighton 28-20.
Darlington have racked up 22 tries in four matches to lead the way in National Three North this season in the try scoring stakes. Their only defeat was at Fylde where they were well beaten in what looks a strange result know as Darlington have won all three since then and Fylde lost all three since then.
These two sides meet for the first time ever in league rugby.
Prediction: Home win by 10 points.
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