Check out our previews and predictions ahead of the weekends matches.
Darlington v Preston
Despite a win Darlington are back on nil points after losing points for failing to fulfil the fixture at Fylde three weeks ago because of front row problems. They will be looking to get those two points back this weekend with a home fixture against a Preston side that do not seem to be getting the rub of the green despite some good performances.
Last time out at home Darlington were winners against Macclesfield and will see this as an opportunity to get a second win on the board with Preston not firing yet although they do have a game breaker in Oliver Viney, the NCA October Player of the Month, who with seven tries so far this season is on his way towards another excellent season.
Darlington are having problems at both ends of the field and are the second lowest points scorers and they have the worst defensive record. What they have done though is score plenty of tries with 16 so far and only five sides have scored more and Darlington have played a game less. They do need to find a reliable goal kicker as in some of the tight matches that could prove crucial. Preston are on of the sides to have scored more tries and have run in 18 so far and ten of these have come on the road.
These two sides will be meeting for the first time in league rugby.
Team news:
Prediction: Preston by less than seven.
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Dudley v Tynedale
Tynedale return to action this week after missing out last week with Waterloo still in the Powergen Cup and travel to Dudley Kingswinford on of the most inconsistent sides over the last 14 months in Three North.
The North East club are in 5th place in the table but have lost two of their last three leagues games and will want to return to winning ways but both their defeats this season have come on the road and it is something they need to improve to have a chance of a top two finish.
DK have a win and a loss at home with Waterloo winning there but Preston were beaten narrowly 22-20.
Despite their 12th place they are the third highest try scorers in the division but only six of them have come at home.
These two have met three times at DK before and two of the matches have ended all square whilst DK won the other 28-15 back in November 2001.
Team news:
Prediction: Tynedale to take the points by 10 points.
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Halifax v Darlington MP
Top of the table Halifax are looking to make it seven out of seven in the league this season with a home success over Darlington MP. The visitors have been erratic this season and have alternated with wins every other week whilst in their two away matches so far they have failed to register a win.
Halifax will give you a chance, as they are liable to concede points as well as score them with six sides in the division having better defensive records. Three of their wins this season have been by five points or less but they have dug in when needed and produced the wins, that’s all you can ask.
These two sides met last season for the first time in the National Leagues and it was comfortable home sins each time.
Team news: Nick Cooper starts this week and replaces centre Jamie Marsden who drops to the bench, Cooper will start on the wing and Craig Emmerson moves into the centre. Prop Mark Faulkner comes in for a start in place of Gareth Richardson and flanker Lewis repalces Alec Ledger who starts on the bench.
Iain Dixon is back in at full back this week and replaces David Richardson which is the only change in the backs. In the front row prop Ian Keeligan comes in for Dan Brown who drops to the bench. Second row Paino Kelekolio is back this week aloowing Anthony Irwin to move to the back row.
Halifax Team: D McGee, A. Canning, J Bloem, C Emmerson, N. Cooper, D. Sanft, J Bartlett, M Faulkner, C Mortimer, R Szabo, R. Hill, M Smith, D. Jessiman, G. Lewis, R Afoa-Peterson. Replacements: A Webster, S Dykes, A Ledger, J Marsden.
Darlington Mowden Park Team: Dixon, Foreman, Shaw, Blacklock, Mattison, Bedworth, Holborough, Keeligan, Tuana, Sinclair, Paino, Robinson, McClaren, Irwin, Arnold (Capt).
Replacements: Brown, Strong, Monument, Gisendi.
Prediction: Home win by less than 10 points.
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Longton v Fylde
Interesting game this one with Longton having a chance to break their duck against a Fylde side that has the second lowest points for total in the division, after Longton 75 to 86. They will see this as a winnable game and need to try and get off the mark for the season and with home advantage I think they will come close, but just miss out.
Fylde have struggled to score points for a number of years now and need to turn that round otherwise they will find themselves in trouble this season.
After back-to-back wins Fylde came unstuck at home last Saturday going down to New Brighton in a close match. Bit on the road they are 1/1 with a success at Liverpool St Helens a couple of weeks ago but in their first away match of the season they were thumped at Blaydon.
Team news: Fylde make three changes to their starting line-up for their visit to
Longton on Saturday. Richard Kenyon returns to fullback following his
shoulder injury; Stuart Connell comes in to the centre whilst Paul
Reeves moves to the left wing to accommodate him. In the pack, Jon Kay
replaces Aaron Rameka who has had to return urgently to New Zealand.
Flanker Emmett Wallace steps up to the bench.
Coach Stuart Connell said: "We are really looking forward to the Longton
game and training has gone well this week. Although we've lost Aaron
Rameka, its a measure of the strength of the squad that excellent
players such as Jon Kay and Emmett Wallace are able to be brought in.
And the fact that we're still able to field a competitive Wanderers team
on Saturday is a tribute to the depth of talent that we are building at
the Club."
Fylde's side is:
15 Richard Kenyon; 14 David Wiseman, 13 Karl Long, 12 Stuart Connell, 11
Paul Reeves; 10 Mike Scott, 9 Lawrence Condon; 1 Steve Ellis, 2 Craig
McIntyre, 3 Jon Webster, 4 Jon Taylor, 5 Greg Johnson, 6 Roger Banks, 7
Paul Bamber, 8 Jon Kay.
Replacements: 16 Matt Filipo, 17 Martin Scott, 18 Martin Wallwork, 19
Emmett Wallace
Longton's line-up is:
15 Wheat(R); 14 Howson, 13 Rawlings(S), 12 Price, 11 Green; 10 Wheat
(T), 9 Gabriel; 1 Wareham, 2 Wilson, 3 de Klerk, 4 Turner, 5
Rawlings(G), 6 Sheldon, 7 Wood, 8 Smith.
Replacements: 16 Randle, 17 Moss, 18 Scragg, 19 Whalley.
Prediction: Tough to call this one – Fylde by less than five.
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Macclesfield v Kendal
A game Macclesfield will see as a must win game with home form likely to be crucial if they are to stay for a second season of National League rugby.
Kendal have won three of their last five and are sitting comfortably in seventh place in the table.
Macclesfield will feel unlucky not to have sneaked the win at Preston last week but for late try by the home side. Kendal were comfortable winners at home to DK and will see this as a match they can win to keep climbing the table.
This is the first ever League meeting between the two sides.
Team news: Macclesfield hae Peter Allen starting at hooker and Simon Grant dropping to the bench and this is the only chnage from the side that went close at Preston last Saturday.
Kendal have Stephen Healey out injued and Paul Dodds moves into the centre and James Hadwin comes in at full back. The forwards are unchanged.
Macclesfield: B Coulbeck, M Smith, S Campbell, A Howcroft, G Browning, G Bell, A Rice: R Bieniasz, P Allen, S Mannion, J Bostock, O Hewitt, D Muckalt, R Jones, J Keep. Reps: A Higgins, S Grant, C Levings, M Frost.
Kendal: J Hadwin, C Atkinson, P Dodds, M Armstrong, L Ladell, D Stephens, M Airley: W Coxon, D Green, R Harryman, A Hudson, M Capstick, K Robinson, M Bowman, A Bateson. Reps: D Bowles, J Nicholson, D Preston, R Saunders.
Prediction: Kendal by less than seven points.
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New Brighton v Liverpool St Helens
Local derby with New Brighton looking for a third straight win as they aim to get a winning run going to put pressure on the leading clubs in the division.
NB have already won three at home this season and will be looking to make it a fortress this season and if they can do that they could make a serious challenge at the top end of the table.
Liverpool St Helens were winners last week at home against struggling Darlington but on the road they have already lost two out of two with defeats at Tynedale and Darlington MP.
New Brighton have managed just 13 tries this season and need to increase that strike rate as the season goes on. LSH have done better and scored five more but only three have come on the road.
Team news: LSH have Nick Royle starting this week ahead of Anthony Sullivan who he replaced last week with 10 minutes left of the home win against Darlington. In the forwards Jan Lourens starts ahead of Lee Nevitt who drops down to the bench.
15 Danny Collins, 14 Nick Royle, 13 Sean Casey, 12 Alan Cross, 11 Dave Cunliffe, 10 Simon Worsley, 9 Steve Cook, 1 Phil Hewitt, 2 Rhys Brock, 3 Jan Lourens, 4 Mike Nugent, 5 Alan Marsh, 6 Martin Gaskell, 7 Jim Keulemans, 8 Peter Evans
Reps: 16 Lee Nevitt, 17 Jon Hitchen, 18 Mark Handley, 19 Liam Cagliarini
New Brighton:
Injuries to Richard Bradshaw and Jon Sewell have reduced the options in the pack, though the it is reasuring to see Carl Turley in the squad, albeit on the bench. Added to that, with Steve O'Connor out with an injured knee and Steven Dean covering at fullback, Loa Tupou is drafted out to the wing. It is nice to see Jay Stirrett back in the side but although he has been training well and back to full fitness he lacks match practice.
Team Sheet. 1. Steve Kelly, 2. Phil Buckley, 3. Damian Penisini, 4. Jay Stirrett, 5. Tom Blackwell, 6. Adam Kettle, 7. Wayne Clayton, 8. Steve Bellis, 9. Dave Wood,10. Antony Birley, 11. Ian Murray,12. Tom Mapp, 13. Dan Naylor,14. Loa Tupou, 15. Stephen Dean.
Substitutes. 16.Chris Naylor, 17. Ian Davies, 18.Ian Wynn, 19. Carl Turley
Prediction: New Brighton by 15 points
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Waterloo v Blaydon
Real test for Blaydon this week as they travel to unbeaten Waterloo who are two games behind everybody after their Powergen Cup run which end last Saturday after a brave display against Pertemps Bees.
Blaydon will be looking to get back to winning ways after last weeks first loss of the season at home to Halifax. They will need to be at their best defensively with Waterloo having run in 32 tries in just four matches and put four on the scoreboard last weekend against National One leaders Pertemps Bees.
They have both conceded 11 tries but Blaydon have played two games more are conceding less than two tries a game which is the best record in the division and Waterloo are nearly conceding three tries a match but when you are averaging eight a game you can get away with that.
These two sides met for the first time in league rugby last season and home advantage countered in both games.
Team news:
Prediction: Waterloo by 20 points.
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