Bedford Blues v Doncaster
Leaders Doncaster travel to Goldington Road to take on sixth placed Bedford Blues looking to maintain top spot in the table.
After back to back wins the Blues were beaten last time out going down 25-8 at Plymouth Albion and remain a distant sixth in the table nine points from the fifth placed side.
At home this season they have played nine times and still lost just the once against the Earth Titans narrowly 34-32
Top of the table Doncaster, travel to Bedford Blues looking to maintain their table topping form. They have won 10 in a row since losing at Leeds Tykes in mid October.
On the road they have a good record with seven wins in nine matches losing at Leeds and Plymouth Albion.
Prediction: Doncaster to pick up narrow six point away win.
London Welsh v Otley
Second bottom London Welsh face 13th placed Otley looking for a win as they try and get out of the relegation zone.
London Welsh after picking up their first home win of the season have slipped to successive defeats including a disappointing one to Moseley last time out at Old Deer Park which saw they drop into the relegation zone.
Otley are looking to avoid a sixth straight defeat and a place in the relegation zone which would happen if they were to lose this match and Moseley were to beat Waterloo at home.
On the road they have no form whatsoever losing eight out of nine with their only win coming early in the season at then bottom of the table Sedgley Park.
Prediction: Welsh to win at Old Deer Park by six points over Otley.
Moseley v Waterloo
Basement battle as third bottom Moseley entertain bottom of the table Waterloo with Moseley looking for back to back wins.
This is a chance for Moseley to move up the table if they can win this and Otley come unstuck at London Welsh. Moseley have two wins in their last three matches and a win here is vital.
At home this season they have played nine times picking up three wins along the way.
Waterloo are in serious trouble at the foot of the table and will see this as a must win game and they have on a couple of occasions this season pulled of shock wins so anything is possible. They are the lowest scorers in the division and have conceded 160 points more than any other side in the division.
Prediction: Moseley to win at home over Waterloo by nine points.
Earth Titans v Newbury
Fourth placed Earth Titans take on 11th placed Newbury looking to try and close the five point gap on the two sides immediately above them in the table.
Earth Titans after back to back defeats returned to winning ways last time out by dethroning league leaders Leeds Tykes at Clifton Lane 22-19 and allowing Yorkshire rivals Doncaster to go top of the table.
At home this season they have come unstuck twice losing to Cornish Pirates and Exeter Chiefs.
Newbury have lost four of their last five matches and are seven points behind Nottingham who are a place above them in the table in 10th place.
On the road they have picked up four wins in their 10 matches to date, three of the wins have been against ht e bottom three sides and the other against Pertemps Bees.
Prediction: Titans to win at Clifton Lane by 15 points.
Sedgley Park v Exeter Chiefs
12th placed Sedgley Park take on seventh placed Exeter Chiefs at Park Lane looking to maintain their improved recent form.
Sedgley Park are looking for a fourth straight win at home to the Chiefs this Saturday. Lat time out at Newbury their match was abandoned. They have won four of their last six and are now six points from the relegation zone and this after sending the first few months of the season rooted to the bottom of the table.
Exeter Chiefs are an enigma beating Earth Titans away one week and losing at home to Waterloo another, explain that?
On the road they have played nine times picking up four wins along the way at London Welsh, Newbury, Otley and Earth Titans.
Prediction: Park to continue good form with five point win over the Chiefs.
Leeds Tykes v Plymouth Albion
Huge game at Headingley as second placed Plymouth Albion take on third placed Leeds Tykes with both sides looked on 72 points.
Leeds Tykes will be desperate to return to winning ways after losing at Earth Titans 22-19 last Saturday, which on the back of a 21 all draw at Cornish Pirates has seen them lose top spot in the table.
At home this season they have won all their matches since an opening weekend defeat at the hands on London Welsh.
Plymouth Albion are looking for a fourth consecutive win as they look to keep the pressure on the leaders Doncaster who they trail by a point along with Leeds.
On the Road Albion have a reasonable record losing three times in nine matches, two of the defeats were against top three sides Doncaster and Leeds Tykes but the defeat at Nottingham was costly as a win there would have them top now.
Prediction: Nine point home win for Leeds against Plymouth Albion.
Nottingham v Pertemps Bees
10th placed Nottingham eighth placed Pertemps Bees at Meadow Lane knowing a win could take them above them in the table.
Nottingham will be looking to return to winning ways with home advantage over the Bees. At Meadow Lane this season they have played nine times already and won five and lost four. They have excellent wins over Bedford Blues and Plymouth Albion already.
Pertemps Bees have been going through a bad spell of late with just two wins in their last six matches but remain in the top half of the table.
On the road they have done really well picking up five wins and a draw form nine matches losing to just Exeter Chiefs, Leeds Tykes and Plymouth Albion.
Prediction: Seven point home win for Nottingham over Pertemps Bees at Meadow Lane.
Cornish Pirates v Coventry
Fifth placed Cornish Pirates take on ninth placed Coventry looking to try and close the gap on the top three who have broken away at the top by six/seven points.
Cornish Pirates have slipped over late with only three wins in their last six matches suffering a couple of defeats and a draw, to slip down the table and find themselves seven points adrift of leaders Doncaster.
At home this season they have an impressive record with eight wins and a draw form their nine matches and remain unbeaten.
Coventry are a mid table side who rely heavily on their home form. On the road this season they have managed just the one win a 32-17 victory over Sedgley Park early in the season they also picked up two points in an impressive draw against Exeter Chiefs.
Prediction: Pirates to beat Coventry by 10 points.
|
