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Powergen Cup
Saturday 6th November 3:00pm
Bedford Blues v Halifax
A potentially tricky tie here for the National One Blues as they welcome unbeaten National Three North leaders Halifax to Goldington Road.
Bedford lie eighth in National One after losing only their second game of the season at Penzance on Sunday. They have won three and drawn one at home to date including a comfortable win against National Three South side Tabard in the last round of the Powergen Cup. Winners of the competition in 1975, they have not had a great record since and have not progressed further than round five for 25 years.
Halifax remain unbeaten at the top of National Three North after a comprehensive home victory against bottom of the table Dudley Kingswinford on Saturday. They have now won an incredible 34 of their last 35 league matches and are strongly fancied to be playing at National Two level next season. Halifax pulled off an excellent win in the last round at Launceston. They actually reached the quarter final in the first ever season of this competition in 1971/72 and have only qualified four times since, their best performance of late was reaching the fifth round in 2002/03 when they defeated Bedford in round three.
This is the only occasion the teams have met and Bedford are likely to reverse the score on Saturday and face the winners of Exeter and Manchester at home.
Prediction: Bedford to win by 10 points
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Saturday 6th November 3:00pm
Pertemps Bees v Orrell
A top versus bottom clash sees unbeaten at home Bees entertain an Orrell side still looking for their first league win of the season.
Pertemps Bees dropped to third in the table as they were well beaten by Rotherham at Clifton Lane on Saturday. They are proving very difficult to beat at Sharmans Cross Road though and have victories over Otley, Penzance and Plymouth under their belt to date. In the last round of this competition they won at top National Two side Doncaster, They have reached the fifth round of the Powergen Cup for the last three seasons and are likely to make it six on the trot this season.
Orrell were relegated to bottom position in the league following last weekend’s games. They went down at Plymouth by a respectable 15 point margin but have still not won in eight league starts this season. They comfortably disposed of National Three North side Blaydon in the last round. They have a great tradition in the Powergen Cup and have been beaten semi finalists on four occasions and quarter finalists twice. They have the best record of any club side who have not reached the Twickenham final. They have reached at least the fifth round for the last three seasons, going down by two points at Bristol last year.
Despite their history, Orrell are now struggling to find any consistent form and Pertemps Bees should progress to the fifth round to play Coventry or Penzance and Newlyn away from home.
Prediction: Pertemps Bees to win by 12 points
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Saturday 6th November 3:00pm
Coventry v Penzance & Newlyn
The fourth round tie of the round takes place at the Butts Arena on Saturday as unbeaten at home Coventry face a Penzance and Newlyn side who struggle away from Cornwall.
Both sides are currently part of the four teams making up the league’s mid division. Coventry went down heavily at leaders Bristol on Sunday but have made the Butts Arena a fortress. They won their tricky third round match away at National Two Stourbridge. Coventry were the first team to win the cup twice, under the great David Duckham in 1973 and 1974. They have reached the semi finals five times since but have a very average record over the last 25 years.
Penzance and Newlyn beat Bedford at the Mennaye Field on Sunday, their third win from four home starts this season, including a 29-14 success against Coventry in September. Their away form is very poor and their only win to date was at Nottingham. They had an easy passage through to the fourth round thrashing Esher from National Two 64-0. Their record in this competition only stretches six years and their best showing was last year when they reached the sixth round before going down at home to Saracens.
Coventry and Penzance have only met three times in league rugby and the Pirates have won all three. Home advantage will be crucial in this fixture and Coventry should register their first win on Saturday.
Prediction: Coventry to win by 6 points
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Saturday 6th November 3:00pm
Exeter v Manchester
Exeter, unbeaten at home this season, and only beaten twice at the County Ground in 2004, host a Manchester side, relegated last season and presently sitting fourth in National Two.
Exeter slipped to fifth position in National One over the weekend as their home game against Otley was postponed and the top five have now opened up a gap between themselves and the chasing pack. In the last round of this competition they took London Welsh to the cleaners winning 67-19 at Old Deer Park. Their best performance of late was in 2002/03 when they reached the sixth round before losing to Gloucester but they reached the quarter finals in both 1993 and 1995.
Manchester have made a good start to their season winning all their home matches but they have lost three times away from home, losing a close game 16-14 at Newbury on Saturday. They took the scalps of National One near neighbours Sedgley Park in the third round. They have not got a particularly good Powergen Cup history, their best performance being in 1999/ 2000 when they reached the quarter final stage before going down 63-3 to Wasps.
National One clubs find a trip to the County Ground daunting so Manchester cannot be given much hope of pulling off a surprise on Saturday.
Prediction: Exeter to win by 20 points
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Saturday 6th November 3:00pm
Plymouth Albion v Moseley
Albion have made Brickfields a fortress and have won all their four National One home games this season. It is difficult to see Moseley, who have yet to record an away win in National Two to date, causing an upset here.
Plymouth beat bottom club Orrell on Saturday to move up to fourth position in the league table but it was not one of their better performances. They pulled off a magnificent win in the last round of the Powergen Cup beating Rotherham by a single point at Clifton Lane. They have a pretty poor record in this competition though and have only past round 5 once, when they reached the quarter finals in 1987/88. With the winners of this tie being drawn at home to Otley or Westcombe Park, they have a very good opportunity of having a good cup run this year.
Moseley presently lie in fifth place in National Two and had another good home win when they crushed Harrogate 49-12 on Saturday. They are now unbeaten in five games on home soil this season including a win over National One Henley in the last round of the Powergen Cup. Away from home though they are a different side and have yet to record a victory. They have a fine history in this competition having been runners up in the very first final in 1972, also 1979, and were shared winners in 1982.
It is very difficult to go for anything other than a home win here and Albion should win by at least 20 points
Prediction: Plymouth to win by 24 points
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Saturday 6th November 3:00pm
Kendal v Waterloo
National Three North Side Kendal entertain Waterloo at Mint Bridge in the Powergen Cup this Saturday.
Kendal got to this stage with an excellent away win at London One side Richmond but will find this match a lot tougher against an expansive Waterloo side. They have won twice at Mint Bridge this season in the Powergen Cup with wins over Midlands One side Longton and National Three South side Reading before the win at Richmond.
Waterloo have won away already this season in the Powergen Cup with a 20-8 win at National Three South side Redruth having beaten Rugby Lions 47-24 at Blundellsands in the previous round. In the midst of these Cup wins Waterloo have found it hard going in the league losing their last four matches.
Waterloo are likey to keep their good Cup form going at Mint Bridge and record a fourth consecutive win over home side in competitive matches having done the double over them last season including a 45-3 win at Mint Bridge.
Prediction: Waterloo to win by 10 points
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Saturday 6th November 3:00pm
Otley v Westcombe Park
National One side Otley entertain National Three South side Westcombe Park at Cross Green.
Westcombe Park have already won three matches in the competition this season with home successes over National Three South sides Lydney and Barking and National three North side Cleckheaton.
After losing their opening two league matches they have picked up and won three out of four with the only defeat in that period a loss away at Dings Crusaders.
Otley are entering the competition at this round and last time they played a side from National Three South they were given a tough match as they just overcame Dings Crusaders 10-3, 13 months ago.
Otley have won three out of four this season at Cross Green with only Bedford Blues leaving with a win.
Prediction: Otley to win by 14 points
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Sunday 7th November 3:00pm
Bristol v Nottingham
National One leaders Bristol entertain a Nottingham side at the Memorial Stadium, buoyed by their first league win of the season on Saturday.
Bristol increased their lead at the top of the table with a convincing home win against Coventry on Sunday. They strolled through to this stage beating Bradford and Bingley. They have a very good record in the Powergen Cup beating Leicester to win it in 1983 and have been beaten finalists three times. They have reached the sixth round for the last three seasons, losing to Wasps last season. They have a great incentive here as the winners travel to Kendal or Waterloo in round five.
Nottingham got off the mark with an excellent home win at the weekend beating Henley and move from bottom spot to 11th in the league. They had a good win at Newbury in the last round. They have reached the semi finals in this competition twice, in 1984 and 1991, but have not been further than the fourth round since 1997.
Bristol slaughtered Nottingham 66-28 at Ireland Avenue at the beginning of October, their first league meeting since 1992. Expect a high scoring home win on Sunday.
Prediction: Bristol to win by 16 points
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