Pertemps Bees v Bedford Blues

Seventh placed Pertemps Bees entertain sixth placed Bedford Blues at Sharmans Cross looking to close the five point gap on the Blues. 

The Bees are looking to make it three wins in a row and a fourth in five to continue their good recent form.

The Bees have a terrible home record with just one win in five matches when they beat Exeter Chiefs.

The Blues have slipped of late and are looking to avoid a third successive defeat and stop the gap at the top growing from the nine points they now trail the leaders by.

On the road the Blues have a 3/3 record with defeats at Moseley, Nottingham and the Cornish Pirates.

Prediction: Bedford Blues to win by five points at Sharmans Cross.           

Coventry v Sedgley Park

Ninth placed Coventry entertain second bottom Sedgley Park at the Butts Arena looking to return to winning ways.

Coventry will be looking to get back to winning ways as they look to get into the top half of the table.

At home they have won four out of six losing to London Welsh and the Earth Titans.

Sedgley Park have won two of their last three matches after losing their first nine games of the season. Both their wins have come at home whilst away from Park Lane they have lost all four matches picking up just the one bonus point on their travels.

Prediction: Coventry to win against Sedgley Park by six points at the Butts Arena.  .         

Exeter Chiefs v Nottingham

10^th placed Exeter Chiefs take on 11^th placed Nottingham with both sides locked on 25 points.

The Chiefs after a reasonable start have slipped to four defeats in five matches to drop down the table.

At home they have three wins and a draw in their six matches with defeats against Leeds Tykes and Waterloo whilst the Coventry left with a share of the spoils at Sandy Park.

Nottingham are looking to avoid back to back defeats after putting together a good ruin of three wins in four matches. 

On the road they have a poor record with just one win in six matches when they were 47-32 winners at Old Deer Park against London Welsh.

Prediction: Home win for the Chiefs by eight points against Nottingham.         

Earth Titans v Moseley

Third placed Earth Titans are at home to 14^th placed Moseley looking to keep the pressure on the top two who they trail by two points.

The Titans after back to back defeats returned to winning ways last weekend and need to get on a winning run again.

At home this season they have won four out of five with the only side leaving with a win the Cornish Pirates.

Moseley are looking to stop a losing run which has seen them lose four in a row now and are just a point clear of the relegation zone.

On the road they have yet to win losing all five matches picking up just two bonus points along the way.

. 

Prediction: Titans to win at home by 15 points against Moseley.          

Otley v Cornish Pirates 

12^th placed Otley take on leaders Cornish Pirates at Cross Green looking to return to winning ways.

Otley are going through a bad spell at present and have slipped to five successive defeats after a reasonable start to the season.   

At Cross Green this season they have won three and lost three with wins over Moseley, Nottingham and Waterloo but have only picked up two bonus points in those six matches.

The Pirates are at the other end of the Form Guide with eight successive wins to lead the table on points difference from Leeds Tykes.

On the road they have lost two of their six matches going down to defeats at Leeds Tykes and surprisingly Waterloo.

Prediction: Cornish Pirates to win by 10 points at Cross Green.          

Plymouth Albion v Waterloo

Third placed Plymouth Albion, take on bottom of the table Waterloo at Brickfields looking to keep the pressure on the top two who they trail by two points.

Plymouth Albion are going for a fifth straight win since losing narrowly at Nottingham. At Brickfields this season they have a perfect record with six wins out of six although they have only picked up two four try bonus points in those wins which is a bit disappointing.

Waterloo are a bit of an enigma with wins over the Cornish Pirates, at home, and Exeter Chiefs, away, being their only two wins of the season. They have conceded heavily this season nearly 100 points more than anyone else. They are the only side not to have picked up a four try bonus point in the division so far this season.   

Prediction: Comfortable home win for Albion against Waterloo by 18 points.         

London Welsh v Leeds Tykes

13^th placed London Welsh take on second placed Leeds Tykes at Old Deer Park looking to end the worst losing run in the division.

The Welsh have now lost their last six matches and are bottom of the Form Guide and in those defeats they have failed to pick up a single bonus point either.

Their home form has been poor losing all five matches picking up just three bonus points.

The Tykes are at the other end of the Form Guide with five successive wins to climb to joint top of the table.

On the road they have won five out of six with their only defeat coming at Bedford Blues when they went down 25-21.  

Prediction: The Tykes to win at Old Deer Park to win by 15 points.          

Newbury v Doncaster

Eighth placed Newbury are at home fifth placed Doncaster looking to maintain their winning run.

Newbury are going for a third consecutive league win as they look to a run which has seen them win four of their last six matches to climb into the top half of the table.

At home this season Newbury have a poor record with just two wins in five matches with victories over Nottingham and Otley.

Doncaster are looking to extend their excellent winning run of four matches which has kept them within striking distance of the leaders who they trail by just four points.   

On the road they have won four out of six coming unstuck at Leeds Tykes and Plymouth Albion.

Prediction: Doncaster to win by five points at Monks Lane.