NATIONAL THREE SOUTH
Bracknell v Cinderford
Bottom of the table Bracknell entertain second bottom Cinderford with both sides desperate to win this one. A win for Bracknell would see them stay bottom but they would narrow the gap to within just a couple of points of Cinderford whilst a win for Cinderford would see them possibly move out of the bottom three.
Bracknell have managed just the one win all season a narrow 11-10 home success over third placed Havant.
Since that success over Havant they have lost three on the bounce at home and managed a losing bonus point once in those three matches when going down 23-21 to Old Patesians.
Cinderford ended a four match losing run last Saturday when they won at home in a South West derby against Bridgwater & Albion.
They are the lowest points scorers in the division and have the worst defensive record although have picked up one four try bonus point which Bracknell have failed to do so far this season.
PREDICTION: Tough call but will go Cinderford away win by five points.
Dings Crusaders v Southend
Fifth place Dings Crusaders entertain 10th placed Southend with Dings looking to get back to winning ways and Southend looking for back to back wins.
Dings have won four out of five at Lockleaze this season with only second placed Cambridge leaving with a win. Their last three home successes have been convincing and included a win over top of the table North Walsham, their first defeat of the season.
Southend have won three of their last five to climb the table after picking up one win in their opening four matches of the season. Three of their four wins have come at home their only away success was a 47-14 hammering of Cinderford a couple of weeks ago.
Last season in this fixture the home side ran out narrow 21-19 winners whilst thumping Southend at their place 43-17 to do the double over them.
PREDICTION: Dings to win by 10 points at home to Southend.
Havant v Rosslyn Park
Third placed Havant entertain fourth placed Rosslyn Park looking to get last weeks disappointing loss out of their system.
Havant suffered a bad defeat at Reading last Saturday going down 29-22 to slip to a second defeat in three matches and fall eight points behind the leaders.
Since losing on the opening day of the season at home to newly promoted Bridgwater & Albion, Havant have won four in a row at Hooks Lane passing the 30 point mark in three of them.
Rosslyn Park were home winners over Dings Crusaders last Saturday and kept a clean sheet as they closed to within three of Havant in the league table. A win this week could see them move into third spot which would be a good position after losing three of the first four league matches this season.
Park lost their first two away fixtures of the season but since then have won back to back matches on the road.
PREDICTION: Tough call will go Park by four points.
Hertford v Reading
Seventh placed Hertford entertain 12th placed Reading who will be buoyed up after last weeks success over high flying Havant at Holme Park.
Hertford after a run of three successive defeats have put together back to back wins over the last two weeks and with home advantage will be confident of making it three in a row.
At home this season they got off to a good start winning their opening two fixtures but them came unstuck against Havant and Cambridge before returning to winning ways with a narrow 5-3 success over then leaders North Walsham.
Reading have now won two out of their last three matches with home wins over Bracknell and Havant. They have though been heavily beaten in their last two away fixtures conceding over 50 points at Bridgwater and Dings. They have lost all five matches on the road this season picking up just one point when losing 21-16 at Cinderford.
Hertford won this fixture last season 19-6 and did the double over Reading winning 55-31 at Holme Park.
PREDICTION: Hertford to win at home by nine points.
Lydney v Old Patesians
Eighth placed Lydney entertain 11th placed Old Patesians looking to return to winning ways after three consecutive defeats.
Lydney won four of their first five league matches this season but have come unstuck in recent weeks going down to defeats against the top three sides, Cambridge, North Walsham and Lydney.
At Regentsholme they won their first three matches before losing 27-20 to Cambridge in their last home fixture.
Old Patesians after recording back to back wins against Bracknell (A) and Dings (H) have slipped to successive defeats in the last two weeks against Havant and Hertford.
Three of their six defeats this season have seen them pick up losing bonus points. .
Last season in this fixture Lydney were 30-22 winners and with a 23-8 win at Everest Road did the double over their South West rivals.
PREDICTION: Lydney to win at home by 12 points.
North Walsham v Cambridge
The big clash of the day as the top two meet at Scottow with both sides locked on 35 points from their nine games.
North Walsham are unbeaten at home with five straight wins they have scored over 40 points in four of these wins and picked up the four try bonus point in four of them.
North Walsham are easily the division leading try scorers with 43 and 32 of those have come at home averaging just over six a match.
Cambridge are the form side with five straight wins behind them in recent weeks as they have taken advantage of North Walsham’s two recent defeats on the road to move to the top of the table albeit on most wins.
On the road they have won at Hertford, Dings and Lydney whilst their only defeat came at Havant.
PREDICTION: Big game of the day to go with Cambridge by five points. |
