NATIONAL TWO
Barking v Wharfedale
Fourth placed Barking entertain 7th placed Wharfedale at Gorsebrook looking for back to back wins after last weeks five try display at Halifax.
Barking are looking to make it back to back wins with victory over Wharfedale on Saturday. At home they have won three out of five with Waterloo and Stourbridge leaving with wins so far this season.
The draw kings Wharfedale fresh from their fourth draw of the season look to continue to improve their away form which has seen them draw at Manchester and win at Blackheath recently after losing their first three on the road this season. .
This will be the first ever league meeting between the two sides.
PREDICTION: Home win by six points.
Blackheath v Harrogate
Bottom of the table Harrogate travel to 12th placed Blackheath with both sides in desperate need of a victory.
Blackheath are looking to end a seven match losing run in the league after winning their opening two fixtures. They have lost their last three at the Rectory Field but two of those have seen them pick up losing bonus points.
Harrogate are still searching for that elusive first win of the season which they must feel will come soon as they have picked up six losing bonus points in their 10 defeats.
They have more four try bonus points than any of the sides in the bottom half of the league table.
Last season in this fixture the Yorkshire side just edged it 22-19 whilst Blackheath were 26-14 winners at Claro Road.
PREDICTION: Home win by four points.
Launceston v Orrell
Ninth placed Launceston entertain 11th placed Orrell at Polson Bridge this Saturday looking for a third consecutive league win.
Launceston are looking for a third successive league win which could well carry them into the top half of the table. At Polson Bridge this season they have won two and lost two. The two defeats have come against the sides sitting first and second in the league table, Esher and Waterloo.
Orrell have yet to win on the road suffering three successive defeats, they were well beaten in their first two road trips at Waterloo and Esher, the top two, but last time out on the road picked up a bonus point after going down narrowly 13-10 at Redruth.
PREDICTION: Home win by nine points.
Manchester v Henley Hawks
10th placed Manchester entertain Henley Hawks at Grove Lane on Saturday looking to keep their winning run going.
Manchester with just one win in their last four matches will be looking to improve that form with home advantage over the Hawks. At home this season they are unbeaten with three wins and a draw from their four matches.
Manchester are the only side in the division who have yet to pick up a bonus point of any type.
The Hawks will be looking to get back to winning ways after their narrow defeat at high flying Moseley last time out two weeks ago. They have won twice on the road this season with victories at Harrogate and Orrell from their four away fixtures.
PREDICTION: Home win by three points.
Moseley v Halifax
Third placed Moseley return to league action after last weeks National Powergen Trophy Cup exit at the hands of National One side Earth Titans with a home fixture against second bottom Halifax.
Third placed Moseley are looking for a fourth straight league win and with the top two playing each other will be looking to take advantage of whoever losses.
At home they are unbeaten in the league with five straight wins although they were pushed all the way last time out by Henley Hawks who they just beat 21-19.
Halifax are struggling at the wrong end of the National Two league table with just two wins form their nine matches. They are the second lowest scorers in the division behind Orrell with 127 points. .
After wins at Harrogate and at home to Redruth they have slipped to successive defeats losing away at Henley and at home to Barking in their last two matches.
First ever league meeting between the two sides.
PREDICTION: Home victory by 12 points.
Stourbridge v Redruth
Sixth placed Stourbridge play host to eighth placed Esher at Stourton Park on Saturday looking to get their home form going.
Stourbridge have a poor home record in the league this season losing all four matches and have picked up just two points in the 26-30 defeat at the hands on Manchester. Three of the defeats have been against the top three sides in the league table.
So far this season they have picked up just two bonus points the lowest total of any of the sides in the top half of the table.
Redruth were heavily beaten at home n the Cup last Saturday going down to a 57-0 defeat at the hands of National One side Exeter Chiefs. They have also lost their last three matches in the league and need to turn their form round.
On the road they have lost all four league matches this season and just picked up two losing bonus points.
These two sides have yet to meet in a league match.
PREDICTION: Home victory by four points.
Waterloo v Esher
The top two meet at Blundellsands as second placed Waterloo entertain leaders Esher.
Esher go into the match with the meanest defence in the division with just 78 points conceded in nine matches whilst Waterloo are the leading points scorers with 297 from their 10 matches.
Waterloo missed the opportunity of going clear at the top of the National Two league table last Saturday when they were held to a draw by Wharfedale 22 all at Threshfields. This ended a run of five straight wins since they lost to Moseley at Blundellsands back in September.
Esher were dumped out of the Powergen National Trophy last Saturday by National One side Bedford Blues at Goldington Road. It was their first defeat in 12 matches this season and they still remain along with Harlequins as the only sides with 100% record in the National Leagues.
Last season Esher pushed Waterloo all the way in this fixture before going down to a narrow defeat 22-20 and Waterloo did the double over Esher with a 24-11 win at their place.
PREDICTION: Home win by four points. |
