NATIONAL THREE NORTH
Blaydon v Macclesfield
Third placed Blaydon are at home to 11th placed Macclesfield as they look for another win to try and close the gap on the top two.
Blaydon are putting together a good run at present with five successive wins but still find themselves seven points off second placed Bradford & Bingley.
They have won seven out of eight at Crow Trees this season.
Macclesfield with just one win in their last six matches now find themselves just two points from a relegation place although they do have a game in hand on third bottom Darlington Mowden Park.
On the road this season, Macclesfield have managed to pick up just one win in eight matches with a 40-3 win at Kendal.
When these two sides met a few weeks ago Blaydon were 19-13 winners at Macclesfield.
PREDICTION: Home win as Blaydon triumph by 12 points.
Bradford & Bingley v New Brighton
Second placed Bradford & Bingley take on second bottom New Brighton looking for all five points on offer to keep the pressure on leaders Nuneaton.
Bradford & Bingley are looking for a fourth straight league win after their 45-7 win at Kendal last Saturday where Stephanus Jacobsz scored a hat trick of tries.
The Bees are the leading try scorers in the division with 82 although they have scored more away from Wagon Lane, 45 to 37.
They are unbeaten at Wagon Lane with seven straight wins scoring over 30 points in five of those wins.
New Brighton are one of three sides not to have picked up a win in their last six matches and are 20 points off safety in the league table.
On the road they have lost all nine matches conceding over 30 points in six of them and have managed just the one losing bonus point. Along with Kendal they are still to pick up a four try bonus point. .
Bradford & Bingley were big winners at Reeds Lane when the sides met earlier in the season 52-21.
PREDICTION: The Bees to win by 18 points.
Cleckheaton v Kendal
10th placed Cleckheaton entertain bottom of the table Kendal in a match which could see them move clear of Macclesfield if they get the win and Macclesfield lose at Blaydon.
Cleckheaton with home advantage should have too much for Kendal as they look for a fourth win of the season at Moorend from nine matches. In four of their home defeats they have managed to pick up the losing bonus point.
Kendal are still searching for that elusive first point of the season never mind their first win at 17 matches.
In five of their eight matches on the road they have conceded over 30 points with only Bradford & Bingley passing the 50 point mark.
Cleckheaton were comfortable 43-12 winners at Mint Bridge when the sides met earlier in the season.
PREDICTION: Home win for Cleckheaton as they battle to keep out of the relegation zone.
Darlington v Leicester Lions
Sixth placed Darlington entertain ninth placed Leicester Lions looking to get the win which could move them above Tynedale in the league table with their North East rivals facing a tough match against league leaders Nuneaton. .
Darlington go into the match with some good form wining three of their last four matches. At Blackwell Meadows this season they have a good record with six wins in eight matches and only Darlington Mowden Park and Nuneaton leaving with wins.
Leicester Lions got a much needed win last week with a home win over Darlington Mowden Park to move seven points clear of a relegation place.
On the road this season they have picked up three wins, at Cleckheaton, Kendal and Macclesfield, whilst losing the other five on their travels.
When the sides met a Westleigh Park earlier in the season it ended as a 27 all draw.
PREDICTION: Darlington to win by 10 at Blackwell Meadows on Saturday against Leicester Lions.
Darlington Mowden Park v Fylde
Third bottom Darlington Mowden Park entertain eighth placed Fylde in need of a win to try and get out of the relegation zone and they need to be winning their home matches if they are to get out of trouble.
DMP were beaten last Saturday at Leicester Lions and are joint bottom of the Form Guide with no wins in their last six matches.
At home this season they have lost five matches out of nine matches, winning three and drawing the other.
Fylde saw their three match winning run come to an end last Saturday at home to Blaydon despite leading 12-7 at half time they were turned over in the second half by an impressive Blaydon performance.
On the road this season they have managed to pick up just two wins out of seven with wins at Cleckheaton and New Brighton.
At Woodlands earlier in the season it was the home side who triumphed coming through comfortably 39-3.
PREDICTION: Got to go with Fylde to win by six at Mowden Park.
Preston Grasshoppers v Hull Ionians
Fourth placed Preston Grasshoppers entertain seventh placed Hull Ionians at Ligthfoot Green looking for a win to try and stay in touch with Blaydon who are now four points clear of them in third place with a game in hand.
Hoppers saw their three match winning run come to an end last Saturday going down to a 55-24 defeat at Liberty Way against leaders Nuneaton.
At home this season they have lost just once when going down 55-34 to Bradford & Bingley, drawn against leaders Nuneaton and won the other six matches.
Hull Ionians are at the right end of the Form guide with four wins in their last six matches which has seen them move into the top half of the table.
On the road this season they have a played nine matches picking up three wins.
Ionians were winners when Preston Grasshoppers visited them earlier in the season with a 27-21 victory.
PREDICTION: Hoppers to win by seven at Lightfoot Green against Hull Ionians. .
Tynedale v Nuneaton
Leaders Nuneaton face a tough task this week as they travel to 5th placed Tynedale with their unbeaten record under threat.
Tynedale are one of the form sides in the division going into the match with five straight wins behind them including a 48-16 win at New Brighton last Saturday. .
At home they played just seven matches so far winning all but one of them as Darlington Mowden Park left with a narrow 16-14 win early in the season.
Nuneaton remain the only unbeaten side in the division with 15 wins and a draw to date.
On the road they have won six out of seven with only Preston Grasshoppers stopping them from making it a clean sweep holding them to a 13 all draw.
Tynedale gave Nuneaton a run for their money at Liberty Way earlier in the season going down by just five points, 26-21.
PREDICTION: Tough call but will have to go with Nuneaton to win by six at Tynedale. |
