Another fascinating week in National Two North awaits

This weekend’s fixtures in National Two North means that we are in the final third of the 2015/16 season and each club is gearing up for what is set to be a roller-coaster run in.

Macclesfield will be hoping it will be an easy ride for them and it looks that way as they currently sit 15 points clear at the top, but expect more twists and turns in the battle for promotion.

Down at the bottom, the dreaded drop will want to be avoided with teams jostling for position in an every changing relegation story. Fasten yourselves for what is expected to be another intriguing weekend of National Two drama.

Otley v Macclesfield

Otley are currently fighting to regain some consistency in their results. The men from Cross Green have struggled to string a positive run together for a sustained period of time which has hampered their progress up the table; highlighted by three wins and three defeats from their last six games.

The Yorkshire outfit appear to be spluttering after a four straight wins spanning across October and November. Their defeat against Sale FC last week means Otley have won just three of their last eight matches and know they must halt this patchy form as quickly as they can.  They sit sixth in the table as things stand and have won six of their nine games at home heading into this clash with Macclesfield.

It continues to be a strong season for Macclesfield since relegation from National One last term. Macc, who finished bottom of the third tier of English rugby last year, are unsurprisingly leading the way in National Two North at this stage.

Ryan Parkinson scored a hat-trick for the Blues in last weekend’s win over Tynedale to help stretch Macc’s advantage at the top to 15 points after fellow promotion candidates Sedgley Park weren’t in action and Stourbridge lost. Coach Giles Heagerty is keen to discard talk of the title just yet, but with just over two months left of the season, Macclesfield are in an incredibly strong position to gain promotion and the National Two North crown at the first time of asking.

Harrogate v Sedgley Park

Harrogate’s season has been very hit and miss so far this term. Although ‘Gate  finished fourth last season, their performances this season have been below-par so far which is highlighted by their current positon of eighth in the table.

We said that Otley had been inconsistent this campaign, but their Yorkshire neighbours have been the kings of it. They have nine wins and nine defeats to their name and head into this clash with Sedgley Park having won four and lost four of their last eight matches. They have got a job on to start stringing together a strong run of results for the reminder of the season, but they do have the quality in their ranks to do so.

Sedgley Park will be hoping that this is the season in which they finally make it to National One. The north-west based club have been close over the last couple of seasons and they are once again in good position to go for it this term.

Dean Schofield’s men weren’t in action last weekend as their match at Park Lane against Sandal was called off as the Yorkshire side declined and some say controversially refused to play due to standing water and the state of the pitch in Manchester.

It all means Sedge are 15 points off the top, but level on points with Stourbridge in second, but they do have three games in hand. A 13^th win of the season at Ruddling Lane on Saturday would be a great way to start the month as they look to continue their promotion charge.

Broadstreet v Stourbridge

Broadstreet find themselves fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table. ‘Street finished in the top half last season and they’ll no doubt be looking to that for inspiration to try and move away from the bottom three this term.

As things stand however, they sit 15^th in the league and eight points from safety. Unfortunately, as each week goes by, their chances of survival are getting slimmer. They are in desperate need of points and may target a Stourbridge side that is suffering a slight dip in form at the moment for a morale boosting victory.

Stourbridge’s season has been one of many positives. They had been going about their business efficiently and effectively which saw them go on a run of one defeat from nine matches. This all meant they were in the top two for a brief spell and in with a real shout of a shot at promotion.

However, back to back defeats have brought Stour back down to earth as they know they have missed the opportunity to increase the pressure on Sedgley Park and even Macclesfield. Despite sitting level on points with Sedge, Stourbridge have played three games more than the Manchester based club, but the best thing they can do is response this weekend at the Ivor Preece Fields to get their promotion ambitions back on track.

Tynedale v Caldy

Tynedale’s season has been slightly disappointing, but things are looking up for the north-east based side. Although Tyne came down from National One last season for the first time in their history, they will have been hoping for a slightly higher position than 12^th place.

However, recent results and performances have been positive for a club that was devastated by the floods that hit the country in December as it ruined all the pitches and the clubhouse at Tynedale. Tyne host Caldy at Kingston Park this weekend – where they have been relocated - off the back of a strong display against Macclesfield and three victories against Sale FC, Huddersfield and Harrogate. Another uplifting showing on Saturday could well see Tyne  move12 points clear of the relegation zone.

Caldy’s season has been what most people in National Two North may have expected. The Wirral side are up towards the top end of the table and they currently occupy fourth place, with just two points between themselves and Sedgley Park in the play-off spot.

Wins over South Leicester, Broadstreet and Macclesfield were the foundations of a successful January for Caldy and they know they need to keep this up between now and the end of the season if they are to have any chance of potential sneaking under the radar into a play-off position.

Leicester Lions v Huddersfield

Leicester Lions are fighting not only for a top four finish this season, but perhaps even a play-off spot. This campaign has the complete opposite to last year for the Lions as they appear now to be a much improved squad capable of success.

Currently, Leicester sit in fifth place in the table and two points behind Caldy in fourth and five points behind Sedgley who are second. They welcome Huddersfield to the Midlands still boasting the only unbeaten home record in the league and the form side in this division will be hoping to make it win number 10 from 11 matches at Westleigh Park this Saturday.

Huddersfield are battling against the drop in their second season in National Two North. After an impressive eighth place finish last season after a strong end to the campaign, the men from Lockwood Park are now struggling and sit bottom of the table this term.

They are currently 10 points from safety after picking up just five wins this season and come into this fixture against Leicester Lions on the back of four straight losses. ‘Field’s away record doesn’t make for good reading either having won just five of their last 23 league matches on the road. It will take something special for them to make that six against this Lions side at Westleigh Park.

Sandal v Chester

I think it is fair to say that Sandal will just want to get back to action this week. After all the fallout from last weekend against Sedgley Park, they will be hoping to forget about that and focus on putting together a sequence of good results.

It has been a very good season for the Yorkshire based club after promotion via the National Three North play-off last term. Currently, they sit seventh in the league from 19 matches and their position in the standings is thanks to such a strong start to the campaign. Now though, things are getting a bit tricky for the men from Milnethrope Green. They have won just three of their last nine games, but ended January with a win over Huddersfield. They’ll be hoping to kick on from that this weekend.

Chester look as though they are going through another one of their patterns again this season. By patterns, I mean a run of a couple of wins followed by a few defeats; a reoccurring theme of their campaign. Currently, they sit 10^th in the table and the men from Hare Lane will be the first to tell you they are capable of better.

The club have struggled to hit the heights of a fifth place finish from last season which is emphasised by them having won just eight games this term, but they’ll be determined to get back to winning ways in this match with both sides desperate to end  their patchy form.

South Leicester v Preston Grasshoppers

South Leicester, as expected, are battling against the drop in National Two North this season. After winning National Three Midlands last year, South started well in the fourth tier of English rugby, but now they seem to be going through their worst spell of the season.

They currently occupy the final safety spot in the table and are four points clear of the drop zone as things stand. South haven’t won in their last four matches and need to taste that winning feeling sooner rather than later and arrest this slide which they seem to be on.

So Preston Grasshoppers isn’t the best opponent for South to try and do that against. They are in great form in National Two North. Garth Dew’s side have been rewarded for some hardworking performances which has led to them losing just one of their last nine matches heading in this weekend.

Because of this run, the Hoppers have lifted themselves up to ninth in the tale and will no doubt have one eye on finishing in the top off in the coming months. You would have to fancy the Lancashire side this weekend especially after their excellent wins over Stourbridge and Sedgley Park.

Luctonians v Sale FC

Are the Luctonians planning are completing another escape from relegation? Well, it certainly looks that way as things stand after a superb few weeks for the Herefordshire club. Last season, they stayed in the division on the final day, but the way things are currently going for them, it won’t come to that this term.

The Lucts do still sit in the bottom three, but are now just four points from safety after three wins in their last five games taking their tally of victories for the season up to six – which highlights their change in fortunes. They also do have a game in hand over South Leicester and with them being back at home against club also towards the bottom half of the table this weekend; the Lucts have a good chance of jumping out of the drop zone on Saturday.

Their opponents Sale FC will have something to say about that though. Currently, the Manchester based club are 11^th in the table and eight points clear of the Luctonians heading in to this fixture.

Sale were promoted from National Three North last term and are yet to have visited in the bottom three. Their home form has been a key factor in this as six of their seven wins have come at Heywood Road including their victory over Otley last weekend. One win on their travels is something they must improve upon if they are to avoid the relegation zone, but with both sides coming into this game off the back of excellent wins, this will be an interesting affair at Mortimer Park.