NATIONAL THREE NORTH
Darlington v Darlington Mowden Parks
The Darlington derby sees Mowden Park travel to Blackwell Meadows 14 points behind their local rivals although they do have two games in hand on them.
Darlington were heavily defeated last Saturday at Blaydon and will be keen to get that result out of their system and what better than a local derby to help them achieve it.
At home this season they are five out of five.
Mowden Park were well beaten at home last weekend by an improving Hull Ionians side and after winning three on the bounce have suffered successive defeats in the last two weeks.
Last season in this fixture the home side won 28-22with Mowden Park winning 30-23 in their home fixture.
PREDICTION: Home win by eight points.
Hull Ionians v Fylde
Eighth laced Hull Ionians entertain 10th placed Fylde this Saturday looking to continue their improved form.
Ionians have now won three in a row and climbed the National Three North league table in recent weeks after an in different start to the season. At home they have won three out of five with the two defeats coming against the top two Nuneaton and Bradford & Bingley.
Fylde lost last Saturday against leaders Nuneaton which ended a three match winning run for the Lancashire side after a poor start to the new season.
On the road they have lost three out of four with their only win coming in their last away match at second bottom New Brighton.
PREDICTION: Home win by seven points.
Leicester Lions v Bradford & Bingley
Second placed Bradford & Bingley travel to seventh placed Leicester Lions looking to maintain their challenge on leaders Nuneaton at the top of the National Three North League table.
The Lions were winners last Saturday at bottom of the table Kendal after a late flurry of tries after trailing at the hour mark to run out comfortable winners. .
The Bees have won their last five and are on of the form sides of the division and will see this as a must win game in their challenge for honours. They have already won four times on the road this season but did come unstuck against Macclesfield a while ago and will not want another performance like that if they are to challenge for top spot.
PREDICTION: Bees by nine points.
New Brighton v Kendal
The battle of the bottom two at Reeds Lane as New Brighton, entertain Kendal.
Second bottom New Brighton have managed just one win all season and that was a home fixture against Hull Ionians early in the season. They have lost their other three home fixtures in the league this season.
Kendal have yet to pick up any point but for an hour last Saturday must have through that was going to come to an end as the led Leicester Lions going into the final quarter. It was not to been with the visitors scoring four late tries to run out comfortable winners in the end and leave Kendal still looking for that first point of the season.
New Brighton won this fixture last season 21-18 whilst at Mint Bridge Kendal were winners 20-8.
PREDICTION: New Brighton by six points.
Nuneaton v Macclesfield
Leaders Nuneaton entertain 10th placed Macclesfield at Liberty Way looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Nuneaton are being chased hard by Bradford & Bingley and could do with picking up more four try bonus points as they are joint a point clear at the top of the table.
At home they have won all five to date this season.
Macclesfield are struggling to find the form that carried them to runners up spot last season and the play offs. On the road they have lost four out of five with the one win coming last time out at Kendal where they were comfortable 40-8 winners.
PREDICTION: Nuneaton to win by nine points.
Preston Grasshoppers v Blaydon
Big game for both clubs at Lightfoot Green as third placed Preston Grasshoppers entertain fourth placed Blaydon.
Hoppers returned to winning ways last week at Cleckheaton to end a two match losing run. Hoppers have now played two games more than the sides around them in the table and must win this to have a realistic chance of staying with the top sides looking for a top two finish.
Blaydon were comfortable winners over Darlington last weeks as they hit the 50 point mark as they looked to bounce back from their surprise loss at Hull Ionians the week before. On the road this season that had won their last two having lost their first away match of the season at Bradford & Bingley.
PREDICTION: Blaydon to win by seven points.
Tynedale v Cleckheaton
Sixth placed Tynedale entertain 12th placed Cleckheaton at Tynedale Park this Saturday looking to keep in touch with the five sides above them in the league table.
Tynedale were beaten last Saturday at Wagon Lane by Bradford & Bingley but not after putting up a spirited second half performance after trailing 38-7 they won the second half 22-0.
After losing their first home game of the season they have won the next four and will be confident of making it five on Saturday.
Cleckheaton after looking to have turned things round have gone through a bit of a bad spell to drop down into the relegation zone and nine points form safety.
They have now lost their last four matches in the league and need to stop the rot soon. On the road this season they have lost all four matches although they did hold the leaders to 6-0 at Liberty Way a few weeks back.
This match was a tight affair last season with Tynedale just edging it 18-17. But at Cleckheaton the home side were comfortable winners 41-6.
PREDICTION: Home win by nine points. |
