Saturday 13th November
Coventry v Otley
Two teams on the heels of the leading group, both on 22 points, go head to head at the Butts Arena on Saturday.
Coventry presently sit in seventh position in the league, one place behind Otley on points difference. They remain unbeaten in four league games at their new home and progressed through to the fifth round of the Powergen Cup on Saturday by beating Penzance and Newlyn on home soil.
Otley had a comfortable win in the Powergen Cup on Saturday beating National Three South side Westcombe Park at Mint Bridge. They reached the fifth round of the competition for only the second time and now face a daunting trip to Plymouth Albion. They have had a good start to the season only losing two from seven starts and have won at Nottingham and Sedgley Park away from home and put up a good performance in defeat at Pertemps Bees.
These teams have met eight times in league rugby with Coventry winning the first five and Otley taking the last three. Home advantage should see Coventry through.
Prediction: Coventry to win by 5 points
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Saturday 13th November
London Welsh v Penzance & Newlyn
London Welsh, still searching for their first home win of the season, entertain the Pirates at Old Deer Park, who are finding away wins very hard to come by.
London Welsh lie in 12th position in the league having managed just one win this season away at bottom club Orrell. They have lost all four league games on home soil and last time out were disappointed to lose to fellow strugglers Sedgley Park.
Ninth placed Penzance are poor travellers and lost at Coventry on Saturday in the Powergen Cup. Last season, their first in National One, they won only two of thirteen starts away from home and so far this season have only won at Nottingham.
The teams met for the first time last season and both won their home games, London Welsh won convincingly at Old Deer Park 37-5 in March. This match could go either way but Penzance may just shade it.
Prediction: Penzance and Newlyn to win by 5 points
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Saturday 13th November
Orrell v Henley Hawks
Edge Hall Road hosts a critical clash on Saturday as bottom placed Orrell play next to bottom Henley.
Orrell went out of the Powergen Cup at the fourth round stage on Saturday when they were beaten at Pertemps Bees. They have yet to win in the league this season from eight starts and have lost their three home games, but they have earned losing bonus points from all three matches. This is a must-win game for them.
Henley did not play last weekend. They presently lie in 13th place in the league, two points above Orrell and have only managed one win this season, at home to Sedgley Park. They have lost all four of their games on the road and last time out were well beaten at the then bottom club Nottingham.
Henley have won four of the six meetings between these teams. Orrell have won two of three at home including a massive 69-15 win last season. Although Saturday won’t be anything like as one sided, Orrell should be the more desperate of the sides and are tipped to win.
Prediction: Orrell by 6 points.
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Saturday 13th November
Pertemps Bees v Nottingham
Back to league rugby for these two sides who both played in the Powergen Cup last weekend with different fortunes.
Pertemps Bees had a predictable win against Orrell and have yet to be beaten at Sharmans Cross Road this season. They sit third in the league and have only lost twice, away at first and second in the league Bristol and Rotherham.
Nottingham were well beaten at Bristol in the cup on Sunday but they have shown improvements recently and opened their National One account with a home win against Henley in their last league match. They continue to score points, they have actually ran in more than fourth placed Plymouth, but their defence is the worst in the league and they have conceded 45 tries in eight matches. They have yet to win away from home in the league.
These teams have not met for four seasons when Bees completed a league double. They will be strong favourites to win on Saturday.
Prediction: Pertemps Bees to win by 14 points
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Saturday 13th November
Plymouth Albion v Bedford Blues
Unbeaten at home Plymouth Albion welcome mid table Bedford to Brickfields as they look to take advantage of one of the top two dropping points on Saturday.
Plymouth ran up 76 points in beating National Two side Moseley in the Powergen Cup on Saturday and are now likely to have their best run in the competition for 16 years. This was their highest ever score beating the 73 they scored against Charlton Park in Division Four South in 1997. It also beat their best Powergen Cup score of 64 against Redruth last season. They have won all the games they have played at Brickfields this season including a convincing victory against Coventry and a one point win the derby game against Exeter.
Bedford beat Halifax to move into the fifth round of the Powergen Cup and they now entertain Exeter. They presently lie in eighth position in the league. They have won two of their four away fixtures to date but their losses came at Penzance and Exeter. The trip on Saturday is likely to see them come away from the deep South West empty handed for the third time this season.
These teams have an even record against each other but Plymouth should get their noses in front on Saturday.
Prediction: Plymouth to win by 12 points.
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Saturday 13th November
Rotherham v Bristol Shoguns
Match of the day in this division is without doubt the visit of table topping Bristol to second placed Rotherham.
This is Rotherham’s s sixth home league fixture from eight games and they have won all five to date including wins over third placed Pertemps Bees and fourth placed Plymouth Albion. The men from Devon did however reverse the league result when pipping them in the Powergen Cup at Clifton Lane, a result that gave Rotherham a break last weekend. Rotherham have a prolific home record in this division and only lost one match at home (to Coventry and Exeter respectively) in each of the last two seasons playing in National One.
Bristol are the form team in the division and had another resounding victory against Nottingham in the Powergen Cup on Sunday. They will be really looking forward to measuring how far they have progressed by drawing a Premiership side in this competition. They have played four matches away from home this season and won them all but this is definitely their most difficult assignment to date.
In a game that could go either way, Rotherham’s home advantage may just see them through.
Prediction: Rotherham to win by 4 points
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Saturday 13th November
Sedgley Park v Exeter Chiefs
After demolishing Manchester 78-0 in the Powergen Cup last Saturday in Devon, Exeter make the long trip North to Manchester this week to face Sedgley Park. Their Powergen Cup win was their biggest ever marginal victory in the competition beating the 81-11 against Whitchurch in 1998/99.
Sedgley Park actually lost to Manchester in the previous round of the Powergen Cup so had no fixture last weekend. They have put in improved performances of late and last time out won for the first time away from home in National One at the expense of London Welsh. This moved them up to 10th position in the league and they top the bottom five, who, one third of the way through the season, look as if they will be battling to avoid the two relegation places.
Exeter strolled into round five of the Powergen Cup to set up a trip to Bedford. Their last league match was postponed, but they have put together a run of three consecutive victories, all against teams in the bottom five. Away from home they have won two from four, losing to neighbours Plymouth and Penzance. They presently hold fifth position in the table and are one of the five teams who have opened up a slight gap on the rest.
There is no history between these two sides and Exeter are likely to win a closely fought first game.
Prediction: Exeter to win by 5 points
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