Check out our weekly previews and predictions ahead of the weekends matches.
NATIONAL THREE NORTH
Blaydon v Kendal
Third placed Blaydon entertain bottom of the table full of confidence after last weeks tremendous Powergen National Trophy win over National Two side Waterloo.
Blaydon have now won six in a row in league and Cup since losing at Wagon Lane against Bradford & Bingley back in early September. At home they are unbeaten winning all four league matches and a capped it last Saturday with their defeat of high flying National Two side Waterloo at Crow Trees.
Kendal have yet to pick up a win in the league this season and in their three away matches have fared badly. They have conceded over 40 points in each match and will not be looking forward to playing the form side in the division away from home.
Last season at Crow Trees Blaydon were 28-25 winners whilst Kendal were winners at Mint Bridge 12-8.
Prediction: Blaydon to win by 14 points. .
Bradford & Bingley v Nuneaton
This match has been postponed with Bradford & Bingley playing Exeter Chiefs in the Powergen National Trophy after last Saturday’s match was called off because of a waterlogged pitch at Wagon Lane.
Cleckheaton v New Brighton
11th placed Cleckheaton entertain 13th placed New Brighton with both sides desperate for the win to try and move up the National Three North league table.
Cleckheaton after losing their opening two league matches at home have now picked up back to back wins at home with wins over Darlington Mowden Park and Macclesfield so will be bitterly disappointed if they cannot make it three in a row on Saturday against struggling New Brighton.
New Brighton have lost all four of their away matches this season in the league picking up just one point when losing 20-15 at Darlington. Last time out though they suffered one of their worst ever defeats in league rugby when they were thrashed 61-5 at Tynedale.
Last season in this fixture the away side were winners 42-24 whilst at Reeds Lane they sneaked it 15-12 to complete the double over the Yorkshire side.
Prediction: Home win by seven points.
Darlington Mowden Park v Macclesfield
Eighth placed Darlington Mowden Park take on ninth placed Macclesfield with both sides locked on 13 points with having a superior point’s difference.
Darlington Mowden Park have already lost twice this season at home going down to defeats against Blaydon and Bradford & Bingley whilst drawing against Preston Grasshoppers, their only win has been a 36-10 victory over Leicester Lions last time out.
Macclesfield have had an up and down season to date and have yet to win in the league on the road suffering defeats at Darlington, Tynedale and Cleckheaton. They have though won at home against high flying Bradford & Bingley convincingly 25-3.
DMP were winners in this fixture 41-25 last season whilst Macclesfield were 32-0 winners in the return fixture.
Prediction: Away win by six points.
Fylde v Leicester Lions
12th placed Fylde entertain Leicester Lions at Woodlands knowing a win could move them up two or three places in the league table.
Fylde have won two out of three at home in the league this season with only Tynedale leaving with the points in a comfortable 46-10 win. In their other two matches at Woodlands against Darlington and Cleckheaton they have triumphed.
Leicester Lions are the surprise side in the division at present with four wins and a draw form their eight matches so far in their first ever season of National League rugby.
On the road they started the season with back to back wins over Cleckheaton and Macclesfield but have lost their last two at Blaydon and Darlington Mowden Park.
These two have yet to meet in league rugby.
Prediction: Home win by seven points.
Preston v Darlington
Second placed Preston Grasshoppers entertain fourth placed Darlington knowing if they were to get all five points they could well go top of the table whilst a win for Darlington would see them move above Hoppers in the National Three North table.
Hoppers are unbeaten at Lightfoot Green in the league this season with comprehensive wins over Fylde and Kendal and a 13 all draw against league leaders Nuneaton. After three wins and three draws they suffered their first league loss of the season last Saturday at Hull Ionians.
Darlington have made a superb start to the new season and on the road have won two drawn one and lost just the once to league leaders Nuneaton. They picked up wins at Fylde and Kendal and a draw at Leicester Lions.
These two sides met last in the 2003/04 season when Hoppers won this fixture 22-20 but lost 23-17 at Blackwell Meadows.
Prediction: Hoppers to win by eight points.
Tynedale v Hull Ionians
Sixth placed Tynedale take on 10th placed Hull Ionians on Saturday looking to return to winning ways whilst Ionians are looking for back to back wins.
Tynedale left Liberty Way last Saturday disappointed not to have beaten league leaders Nuneaton on their own patch going down to a 26-21 defeat.
At home this season they have recovered after losing their opening match against Darlington Mowden Park with wins over Macclesfield and New Brighton.
Hull Ionians will look to build on last Saturday’s defeat of previously unbeaten Preston Grasshoppers although a win at Tynedale might just be too much for them. On the road they have lost all four matches but in the last three have manage to pick up the losing bonus point.
These two sides last met in league rugby in the 2002/03 season when Tynedale won this fixture 57-22 but three weeks later Ionians were 30-15 winners.
Prediction: Tynedale to win by ten points. |
