Pertemps Bees v Doncaster

Seventh placed Pertemps Bees take on sixth placed Doncaster who they trail by six points in the table. 

The Bees returned to winning ways last weekend with a 38-19 win at Waterloo which ended a three match losing run.

At Sharmans Cross this season they have not done too well this season with just one win in four matches when they beat Exeter Chiefs 35-17 early in the season.

They have done well on the bonus points picking up eight including six four try bonus points which is the second highest total in the division.

Doncaster are looking for back to back wins after last Saturdays win over Otley 25-15. On the road this season they have two of their four matches with victories at London Welsh and Sedgley Park whilst coming unstuck at Leeds Tykes and Plymouth Albion, both top four sides. In two of their three defeats they have picked up losing bonus points. 

Last season in this fixture at Sharmans Cross the visitors triumphed 31-29 and also won the return at Castle Park in another high scoring close match 31-27.

Prediction: Home win for the Bees by four points.      

Coventry v Newbury

11^th placed Newbury travel to 12^th placed Coventry with both sides locked on 17 points. 

Coventry were beaten away at Bedford Blues last Saturday and have now lost four of their last five matches and need to get a winning run together to climb up the table.

At the Butts Arena this season they have won two and lost two this season with victories against Moseley and Otley. 

They are not the heaviest of scorers in the division and have just one four try bonus point to date.

Newbury were beaten at home last Saturday by Plymouth Albion as they saw their three match winning run come to an end.

On the road this season they have done well this season with three wins from their five matches with wins at London Welsh, Moseley and Pertemps Bees. They have yet to pick up a four try bonus point this season and in their five defeats have managed just the one losing bonus point.

Last season at the Butts Arena Coventry won a high scoring match 45-29 and did the double over the Berkshire side winning at Monks Lane 36-24.

Prediction: Newbury to sneak it by three points.      

Exeter Chiefs v Moseley

Eighth placed Exeter Chiefs take on 14^th placed Moseley at Sandy Park with both sides looking to get back to winning ways. 

The Chiefs have lost their last two matches including a 37-20 loss last Sunday at the Penzance Pirates.

At home this season they have an unbeaten record with two wins and a draw from their three matches. It was Coventry who stopped them from winning when they fought out a 13 all draw.

Moseley after a win against Sedgley Park two weeks ago slipped to a seventh defeat of the season last Saturday when losing at Headingley to Leeds Tykes 37-27.

On the road this season they have lost all four matches they have played although in two of those defeats they have picked up losing bonus points.

Prediction: Chiefs to come through with eight point win.       

Otley v Bedford Blues 

Ninth placed Otley are at home to fifth placed Bedford Blues looking to get back to winning ways.

Otley after a three match winning run have lost their last two with defeats at Otley and Doncaster. At Cross Green this season they have only played four times and picked up three wins. They are not the heaviest of scorers with only the bottom two not scoring fewer points than Otley.    

Bedford Blues after losing badly at the Cornish Pirates two weeks ago bounced back with a home won over Coventry and will be looking to build on that. On the road this season they have lost twice already with a defeat at Moseley to go with the Pirates loss.

Last season in this fixture at Cross Green it ended as a 16 all draw early in the season, later in the season the Blues were 42-20 winners at Goldington Road. .

Prediction: Blues away win by eight points at Cross Green.       

Plymouth Albion v Earth Titans

Top clash of the day as the leaders, Earth Titans, travel to fourth placed Plymouth Albion. 

Albion need to win this to close the gap on the Titans who otherwise could find themselves 12 points behind the Yorkshire outfit whilst a win could see them close to within a couple of points. 

At home this season they have won four out of four with Doncaster pushing them all the way before they came through 14-13.

The Titans are top of the Form Guide with five straight wins and are four points clear at the top of the table. They have picked up seven four try bonus points which is the most in the division and it their only defeat of the season they picked up a losing bonus point. 

On the road they have won four out of five with their only defeat coming at Exeter Chiefs.

At Brickfields last season this was a closely fought match with Albion running out 15-14 winners in a low scoring match. Over the season it was honours even with the Titans winning 35-30 at Clifton Lane.

Prediction: Tough call but will go with home advantage and an Albion win by six points.       

Sedgley Park v London Welsh

Bottom of the table Sedgley Park entertain 14^th placed London Welsh with a chance of picking up their first win of the season. 

Sedgley Park have had a terrible start to the season but last Saturday they pushed leaders Earth Titans before going down to a narrow 25-20 defeat.

They have lost all nine matches and picked up four bonus points along the way including three for losing by seven points or less.

At Park Lane they have played six times already and picked up losing bonus points against Pertemps Bees and Earth Titans.

The Welsh were beaten at home last Saturday by Nottingham as they slipped to a third consecutive defeat. They have done better on the road than they have at Old Deer Park with three wins in five matches.   

Last season at Park Lane Sedgley were narrow four winners in a high scoring match 32-28. In the return at Old Deer Park the Welsh triumphed in a high scoring match 44-33. 

Prediction: Park to pick up first win of the season with five point win.       

Waterloo v Leeds Tykes

Third placed Leeds Tykes travel to second bottom Waterloo looking for a win to try and keep pace with the leaders at the top of the table who they trail by six points.

Waterloo have had some strange results this season with wins over the Penzance Pirates and Exeter Chiefs whilst getting hammered by Nottingham and Earth Titans.

At home they have just the one win they beat the Pirates but in three of their other four defeats they have conceded over 38 points.  

The Tykes are at the right end of the Form Guide with five wins in their last six matches with their only defeat in that period against Bedford Blues.

On the road that is their only defeat with wins in their other three matches although they conceded losing bonus points to both Nottingham and the Pertemps Bees.

These two sides have not met since the 2000/01 season when Leeds did the double over Waterloo as they won promotion to the Premiership. At Blundellsands the Tykes were 45-17 winners having already won 5-0 at Headingley earlier in the season. 

Prediction: Tykes to win at Blundellsands by nine points.        

Nottingham v Cornish Pirates

10^th placed Nottingham entertain second placed Cornish Pirates looking to make it three in a row.

Nottingham with wins over London Welsh and Plymouth Albion have moved up the table after slipping to four successive defeats. 

At Meadow Lane this season Nottingham have won two and lost two with the victories coming against Plymouth Albion and Waterloo.

The Pirates are second in the Form Guide on the back of five successive wins and are four points behind the leaders. The Pirates will be looking for the win which could take them top of the table with the Titans having a tough match away at Plymouth Albion.  

Last season in this fixture Nottingham were narrow 18-16 winners but at Kenwyn Hill the Pirates were 29-20 winners to make it honours even over the season.

Prediction: Pirates to take the points with eight point win at Meadow Lane.