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NATIONAL THREE NORTH
Bradford & Bingley v Halifax
Leaders Halifax travel to Wagon Lane looking to do the double over Bradford & Bingley who will be hoping they can beat the leaders and Tynedale can defeat second placed Macclesfield.
Halifax are looking to do the double over the Bees which would severely dent their promotion aspirations if they suffered a sixth defeat of the season.
Halifax are five points clear at the top of the table and have two games in hand, it is going to take something bizarre for Halifax not to make up for last season and take the National Three North title.
When the sides met earlier in the season Halifax came out of top to retain their 100% start to the season with a 32-26 win.
Prediction: Away win by less than five points.
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Cleckheaton v Bedford Athletic
Big game for both these struggling sides on Saturday as bottom of the table Bedford Athletic travel to 12th placed Cleckheaton looking to do the double over the Yorkshire side.
Cleckheaton have not won in their last six matches and are bottom of the Form Guide. They need the win to try and get in touch with the sides above them who are already five points ahead of them.
Bedford need to find some form and soon if they are to stave of relegation in their first season back into the National Leagues. Since beating Cleckheaton at the start of December Ath have lost successive matches and with an 11 point gap to safety this is an away match they really do need to win but to do this they need to win away for the first time this season having suffered six successive defeats.
Bedford Athletic were winners when the sides met for the first time ever earlier this season in league rugby with a 31-18 victory.
Prediction: Home win by eight points.
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Darlington Mowden Park v Dudley Kingswinford
Eighth placed Darlington Mowden Park entertain second bottom Dudley Kingswinford looking for the win after the sides drew at DK in early December 17 all.
DMP have slipped to successive defeats after a good run and will want to get back on a running run and will see this as the perfect opportunity to do so.
DK have gone five matches without a win with a draw and four defeats since they last won with an away win at Cleckheaton. They have won twice on the road and have a better record away from Heathbrook.
This fixture ended in a draw earlier in the season 17 all. Last season saw Darlington Mowden Park do the double over Dudley Kingswinford. DK did win at Mowden Park in the 2001/02 season when the sides met for the first time ever with a 43-31 victory.
Prediction: Home win by 12 points.
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Fylde v Darlington
Fifth placed Fylde entertain 11th placed Darlington looking to get back on a winning run after two defeats in their last three matches.
Fylde have a 100% record at Woodlands this season in the league with six consecutive wins, although three of the top four sides have yet to play there.
Darlington have already beaten Fylde this season but will find this match a lot tougher with just one win of the road this season although they have also picked up a draw. The win was at Bedford Athletic and they drew at Dudley Kingswinford.
Fylde met Darlington looking for revenge having surprisingly lost at Blackwell Meadows earlier in the season. Last season Fylde did the double over the North East side with two narrow victories.
Prediction: Home win by 14 points.
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Kendal v Blaydon
10th placed Blaydon travel to eighth placed Kendal looking for a win to move above them in the league table.
After three successive defeats Kendal have responded with back to back win and will be confident they can make it a hat trick with fifth home win this season. At Mint Bridge, Kendal have won four of their six matches with only Halifax and Rugby Lions winning there this season.
Blaydon have returned to form recently and are looking for a fourth successive win in the league as they look to continue to climb the league table. On the road this season they have won twice in seven matches with victories at Darlington and New Brighton.
Kendal and Blaydon met for the first time in league rugby last season when it was honours even and home advantage counting. Kendal were narrow home winner but at Blaydon the North East side were convincing winners 37-3.
Earlier this season Blaydon were narrow 28-25 winners at Crow Trees.
Prediction: Away win by 10 points.
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New Brighton v Rugby Lions
Sixth placed New Brighton entertain Rugby Lions who have dropped down the table after losing five points for fielding an ineligible player in the match against …
New Brighton have won four of their last five matches and will be looking to keep this good run going and climb the league table. At home this season they have not done as well as they would have liked losing three matches already from seven matches and Halifax and Bradford & Bingley still to come to them later in the season.
Rugby Lions have been disappointing this season with just two wins in their last six matches. On the road they have picked up two wins and a draw in their six matches. They have lost seven times this season and in five of them they have picked up the bonus point for losing by seven points or less.
These two sides met for the first ever in League rugby earlier this season when New Brighton were winners at Webb Ellis Road 27-21.
Prediction: Home win by eight points.
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Tynedale v Macclesfield
Big game at Tynedale Park with second placed Macclesfield travelling to third placed Tynedale with the home side aware even with victory they cannot over take Macclesfield in second place.
After two successive defeats Tynedale have returned to winning ways with back to back victories. At home this season they have won four and drawn one of their five matches suffering just the one defeat losing 34-20 to leaders Halifax.
Macclesfield have won five of their seven matches on the road this season just coming unstuck at Fylde and Bradford & Bingley which are both difficult places to go and win.
Macclesfield have had the Indian sign over the North East side since they entered the National Leagues winning all the matches to date. Earlier this season Macc were narrow winners at home 22-20. Last season Macc did the double over Tynedale narrowly winning at Tynedale Park 25-21 and then later on the season winning 26-17 at home to them.
Prediction: Home win by less than six points.
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