Check out our previews and predictions ahead of this weekends matches in National Three North.
Blaydon v Preston Grasshoppers
Blaydon’s great start to the season has faltered a little recently and they have managed just one win in four and slipped to fourth and are now three points adrift of third placed New Brighton.
Preston went down to a third straight defeat on Saturday with yet another narrow defeat, they still have a plus goal difference despite losing six of their eight league matches.
With Blaydon off form and Preston getting so near to a win this could be the game when Hoppers turn it round. Scoring tries is no problem with 26 so fart his season which is only one less than Blaydon but they have got the hottest player in Three North with Oliver Viney leading the try scorers with 12 tries in just eight matches.
These two sides met for the first time in League rugby last season and were involved in two close matches with home advantage counting. Blaydon were winner at Crow Trees just edging it 33-32 in a highly dramatic game. The match at Lightfoot Green went to the home side 15-11.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by 10 points.
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Darlington MP v Macclesfield
Darlington MP will need to be at their best to see off a Macclesfield side that has surprised a few sides this season and sit comfortably in 6th place a place above DMP in the table. A win for DMP would see them move above Macclesfield as they have a superior points difference.
Macclesfield are going for a fourth straight league win and having already won at Tynedale will see this as a game they can win and keep their great start to the season going.
DMP will have other ideas especially after their good performance at home to Waterloo two weeks ago when they pushed them close before going down to a five point loss.
Darlington MP lead in the try scoring stakes 21 to 14 but it is the kicking of Gary Bell, which is causing sides problems. Bell has kicked 34 penalties, which is the most in the lead whilst the home side have managed just 13.
These two sides meet in National League rugby for the first time.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win by less than 10 points.
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Fylde v Dudley Kingswinford
Something has to give here with both sides going into the game on the back of four match losing runs. They have both managed just two wins so far this season and a win would keep them in touch with the sides above who are opening up a gap already with the bottom five three points adrift.
DK have won on the road this season whilst the home side have managed just the one win at Woodlands this season.
Where DK do have a strong advantage is in the try scoring where they have scored 25 and Fylde just 12, so with DK ability to score and Fylde’s lack of fire power this could give the visitors the psychological edge.
These two sides meet in National League rugby for the first time.
Team news:
Fylde's selectors have shown faith in the pack which was out muscled by
Waterloo last weekend and it remains the same starting line-up. Its
hoped that influential lock Erik Lund continues with his return to form
and full fitness and that the general performance of the pack will show
the benefits of Martin Scott's coaching input. There is one change
amongst the backs with illness victim David Wiseman returning on the
wing. Amongst the replacements, Emmett Wallace & Matt Filipo replace Jon
Taylor and Andy Watt. The full side is:
15 Richard Kenyon; 14 David Wiseman, 13 Karl Long, 12 Paul Reeves, 11
Mark Evans; 10 Mike Scott, 9 Lawrence Condon; 1 Steve Ellis, 2 Martin
Scott, 3 Jon Webster, 4 Erik Lund, 5 Greg Johnson, 6 Roger Banks, 7 Paul
Bamber, 8 Jon Kay.
Replacements: 16 Matt Filipo, 17 Craig McIntyre, 18 Martin Wallwork, 19
Emmett Wallace
Prediction: Tough to call but home win by less than 10 points.
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Liverpool St Helens v Waterloo
Liverpool have lost two of their last three matches but they were away from Moss Lane against Halifax and New Brighton and on other days they could have won both matches.
The visitors are still unbeaten but in their last away match they were pushed all the way by Darlington Mowden Park before coming through by five points with Anthony Handley kicking the penalties rather than the usual running in the tries plan.
When these two sides met last season it was honours even with one win each, the wins though were both away from home in the early part of the season. Second game in LSH went to Blundellsands and came away 33-17 victors. In December at Moss Lane it was Waterloo who were winners leaving with a narrow 20-19 win.
Team news:
Prediction: Away win by 14 points.
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Longton v Darlington
Longton entertain Darlington with both sides in need of wins as they look to climb the league table and extend their stay in National Three North for more than a season.
This is the match of the Longton defence against the Darlington attack. Longton despite being bottom of the table have one over the best defences in the division and it will take some breaking down at Roughcote Lane. Darlington though could be the team and they are now playing with some confidence and have won three of their last five match and are up to 11th place in the table thanks to their recent run of form.
Although Longton have done exceptionally in stopping the opposition crossing their line they have had the most penalties kicked against in the division with 30 and 22 of them have come at home.
These two sides are meeting for the first time in league rugby.
Team news:
Prediction: Darlington’s ability to score tries to carry them to victory.
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New Brighton v Halifax
New Brighton after a unconvincing start to the season have now put a five match winning run together and will hope they can make it six and end Halifax’s 100% start to the season.
These two sides are second and third in the penalties kicked this season so expect the boots of Doug Sanft and Anthony Birley to be busy with Birley ahead 32-24.
In the try scoring stakes Halifax are well ahead running in 32 tries whilst New Brighton have managed 12 fewer with 20 to date.
Last season these two sides met for the first time in National League rugby and it was home advantage that counted in two closely fought matches. At Hartsfield NB were 31-29 winners whilst at Halifax the home side triumphed 32-27.
Team news:
Prediction: Halifax 100% record to end with five point loss.
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Tynedale v Kendal
Tynedale will be keen to return to winning ways at Tynedale Park having gone down to a defeat at the hands of new boys Macclesfield in their last home match. Last week they were away winners at Preston and they need to keep winning to stop the gap between the top three growing.
Kendal are away for the seconds week running and after a defeat last week Darlington they are again in the North East this week looking to avoid a second successive defeat and climb the table.
Tynedale lead in the try scoring list with 25 to 20 with Kendal managing just six on their travels so far this season. where they have managed just the one win from five matches.
These two sides are meeting for the first time in league rugby.
Team news:
Prediction: Home win for Tynedale with 14 point margin.
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