Check out our weekend previews and predictions ahead of the action.
NATIONAL THREE SOUTH
Bracknell v Rosslyn Park
Bottom of the table Bracknell entertain sixth placed Rosslyn Park in need of a win to try and climb the table as they are currently six points away form the safety zone.
Bracknell have managed just the one win all season when they were narrow 11-10 winner at home against Havant. Since then at home they have lost against Lydney and more recently they went down 23-21 to Old Patesians.
Park are going for a third consecutive league win after a home success over Cinderford and an away win at Westcombe Park having lost three of their four opening matches of the season.
Last season these two sides met in National Two with Bracknell winning 26-15 at home whilst in the return fixture Park just sneaked it 9-7.
Prediction: Park to win by eight points.
Bridgwater & Albion v Southend
Seventh placed Bridgwater & Albion entertain 10th placed Southend at Bath Road knowing a win could see them end up in a top four place if they can reproduce their Cup win over their opponents.
Bridgwater have managed just one win at Bath Road this season in their last fixture when they thumped Reading 59-19. Prior to that, they had lost to both Hertford and North Walsham at home in the league. . They are though unbeaten in their last four with two Cup wins and two league wins. Only North Walsham and Havant have scored more tries than the free flowing Albion attack this season.
Southend have already played four league matches away form home this season and managed just the one win. That was last time out when they thumped Cinderford 47-14 after building up a 39-0 half time lead. Although two of those defeat were against the sides sitting first and second in the league table, North Walsham and Cambridge.
This is the first ever league meeting between the two sides.
Prediction: Albion by eight points. .
Dings Crusaders v Reading
Fifth placed Dings Crusaders will be looking to return to winning ways with the visitor or 12th placed Reading to Lockleaze on Saturday.
Dings will be looking to bounce back after last Saturdays defeat at Old Patesians which came just a week after they ended league leaders North Walsham’s 100% start to the season.
At home they have won three out of four with only Cambridge leaving with a win this season in a close match 20-18.
Reading returned to winning ways last Saturday with a home win over Bracknell which ended a three match losing run. At Holme Park this season they have now won twice with just one loss a 28-21 defeat at the hands of Westcombe Park.
Last season in this fixture Dings Crusaders ran out comfortable 39-17 winners whilst at Holme Park it was Reading who were winners, 33-18.
Prediction: Dings to win by 10 points..
Havant v Old Patesians
Third placed Havant entertain eighth placed Old Patesians at Hooks Lane looking to make up ground on Cambridge who have a tough match at Lydney.
Havant saw their four match winning run come to an end last week when they went down 44-21 at league leaders North Walsham. At home they have won their last three after suffering an opening day defeat against new boys Bridgwater & Albion. The three wins have all been against sides in the top half of the table, Dings, Cambridge and Lydney.
Old Patesians will be buoyed by their win at home to Dings Crusaders last Saturday which gave them back to back wins having won away at Bracknell the week before. The win at Bracknell was their first on the road this season having already lost at Southend and Westcombe Park.
Havant were comfortable winners in this fixture last season with a 41-10 success whilst at Everest Road Old Pats ran out winners 27-20.
Prediction: Havant to secure home win by 12 points.
Hertford v North Walsham
Leaders North Walsham travel to 11th placed Hertford looking t make it seven wins out of eight in the league this season.
Hertford are looking to stop a three match losing run which has seen them drop down the table but a match against the league leaders may not be the best place to start getting back to winning ways.
North Walsham returned to winning ways last week at home to Havant after their unexpected blip at Dings Crusaders the week before. Prior to that loss at Dings they had won both their away matches against Cinderford and Bridgwater & Albion.
In this fixture last season Hertford triumphed 18-8 but at Scottow it was the home side that won there as well 28-8.
Prediction: North Walsham by 12 points.
Lydney v Cambridge
Game of the day in National Three South as second placed Cambridge travel to fourth placed Lydney as they put their promotion credentials on the line. .
Lydney have won all three home matches this season and they have all been against West Country sides, Bridgwater, Cinderford and Dings Crusaders. Away from home though they have suffered two defeats at Westcombe Park and then they were well beaten last time out in the league at Havant.
Cambridge were back to their best last week with a nine try demolition of Cinderford and there were nine different try scorers. Since the bad loss at Havant they have put together a three match winning run and will go to Regentsholme looking to make it seven wins out of eight.
These two sides will be meeting for the first time in league rugby.
Prediction: Tough call this one but go home win by five.
Westcombe Park v Cinderford
13th placed Cinderford travel to 9th placed Westcombe Park looking to get last weeks nine try thrashing at Cambridge out of their system.
At Goddington Dene Combe have won two out of three in the league this season with victories over Lydney and Old Patesians but they lost their 100% record last time out against Rosslyn Park 19-12.
Cinderford have found it hard so far adjusting to National league rugby managing just one win so far in their seven matches including a run of four consecutive defeats and in three of those they have conceded over 40 points culminating in conceding 61 at Cambridge last Saturday which included nine tries.
When these two sides met for the only time in league rugby in the 2001/02 season Combe did the double over Cinderford winning at Goddington Dene 20-8 having earlier in the season won 30-21 at Cinderford.
Prediction: Combe to win by 12 points. .
|
