More than bragging rights at stake for Barnstaple and Exmouth

We are at the stage of the season where title races and relegation battles are scrutinised more than ever and in Devon this weekend, the fight for survival is firmly under the microscope.

Both Barnstaple and Exmouth were promoted into this division last May and both are now doing all they can to avoid an immediate relegation back down to National Three South West. Barnstaple currently lie 14^th in the table whereas as fellow Devonshire side Exmouth prop up the league and with the teams going head-to-head this weekend, there is more than just local bragging rights on offer.

In truth, if Exmouth were to lose to Barum on Saturday, it could be the final nail in their coffin, but a win for Jon Hill’s side cranks up the pressure on Steve Perry’s men. An intriguing match awaits at Pottingham Road.

Elsewhere at the opposite end of the table, the promotion race is just as intense with the top five all looking to maintain their excellent recent performances as the battle for the title and the play-off spot heats up.

Bury St Edmunds v Chinnor

With the pressure on, Chinnor are putting in the performances and getting the results when it matters. Matt Williams’ side have responded superbly to a blip in form and with their promotion aims under threat heading into 2017, the Black and Whites have churned out four wins from their last five matches to keep them firmly in this title race.

Prior to this run, the Oxfordshire side had won just two of their last seven matches which saw them slip out of the top three, but now they are back on top of this division with nine games remaining. Their stay at the summit may only last a couple more weeks as second placed Bishop’s Stortford – level on points with Chinnor – have a game in hand, but Williams’ men will just be focused on doing everything possible to maintain their stay in the top two. This weekend, the league leaders go to Bury St Edmunds in search of their seventh away win of the campaign as they look to continue their faultless recent run.

Bury St Edmunds are craving a victory. Unlike their opponents Chinnor, 2017 has not been a strong year for them so far in what has been a very mixed season for the Wolfpack. After finishing sixth last term, Bury may have felt like they could match or even improve on that achievement, but inconsistency has plagued them in this campaign.

They come into this fixture with Chinnor currently occupying 11^th place in the table and they are only eight points clear of the bottom three. This is because they have won just once in their last nine games which is the worst run of form Gavin Hogg’s side have been on since they were promoted in 2015. Bury put in a strong display away at promotion chasing Redruth last weekend so they will be hoping for a similar performance on Saturday if they are to get a much needed result against the league leaders.

Bishop’s Stortford v Worthing Raiders

Bishop’s Stortford welcome struggling Worthing Raiders to Silver Leys this weekend looking to continue their title push. After a shock defeat to Cinderford to begin the New Year, Andy Long’s side look like they mean business once again as three straight wins leaves them level on points with league leaders Chinnor and Stortford also have a game in hand.

Their game in hand comes against Canterbury at the end of this month and you can argue that the destination of the title is in Stortford’s hands because they could be as many as five points clear at the top of the table at the beginning March. However, there is still a lot of rugby to be played between now and then and Stortford will just be aiming to get the job done against Worthing tomorrow. Stortford beat the Raiders 36-30 back in October and they have also won seven of their nine matches at home this term.

The aforementioned 36-30 scoreline was actually the second defeat in a wretched run of form which Worthing Raiders are currently on. A whole host of injuries has not helped their situation, but including that result against Stortford in October, the Raiders have won just one of their last 14 matches which leaves them languishing in the bottom two and five points adrift of safety as things stand.

Last season, Worthing were embroiled in a relegation battle and they will need to somehow find a way of digging themselves out of trouble once again. Like Stortford, Worthing do have game in hand at the end of the month but it is another tough fixture for them as they host promotion chasing Old Elthamians so it does not get any easier for the men from Roundstone Lane. For now, Worthing travel to Hertfordshire this weekend aiming to upset the applecart by securing a second away triumph of the season.

Cinderford v Redruth

Third placed Redruth take the trip to Gloucestershire this weekend to take on Cinderford with both sides currently on great form. The visitors to Dockham Road on Saturday have really thrown their hat into the ring when it comes to the promotion race as six straight league wins leaves them just five points behind the top two.

Marek Churcher and his side must take credit for their superb run of form after a mini blip before the Christmas break which threatened to scupper any chances the Reds may have had of bettering their fourth place finish of last season. Redruth now head into this clash with Cinderford knowing they need to keep in touch with the top two especially during this crucial stage of the campaign. Redruth come into this fixture having won seven of their 10 away matches this term and another victory on the road would keep their promotion ambitions alive and kicking.

Cinderford could well have been in the promotion race alongside Redruth if it hadn’t been for such a mixed start to life in National Two South. The Gloucestershire outfit were relegated from National One in May and struggled to adapt to this level as inconsistency hampered the early parts of the season for them. In addition to this, they also had five points deducted due to fielding ineligible players, but it looks as though Paul Morris’ side are now showing what they are truly capable of.

They head into Round 22 having won their last six matches which is their best run of results this term. That superb sequence has seen Cinderford settle for a position in the top six as they find themselves 12 points behind Redruth, but considering their patchy beginning to the campaign, the men from Dockham Road will be pleased with their progress. With both teams currently on a high, something has got to give this weekend in Gloucester.

Old Elthamians v Henley Hawks

There would have been a few sighs of relief last weekend when Old Elthamians beat London Irish Wild Geese. Before the match, the OEs had lost two games on the bounce which left them outside the top two and in danger of falling behind in the promotion race, but a comfortable win at Hazlewood helped  Gavin Lach’s side get  back on the right track and now they will be keen to push on from that victory.

As things stand, the men from College Meadows are six points behind the top two places, but they do have a game in hand against struggling Worthing Raiders at the end of February. In theory, the OEs could only be a point behind the promotion places heading into the penultimate month of the season, but they mustn’t look too far ahead. The OEs host Henley Hawks on Saturday aiming for their first win of 2017 on home soil.

It really has been a mixed year thus far for Henley Hawks, but all they will be concerned about is the fact that they have moved away from trouble in National One. Following relegation from the third tier of English rugby back in May, the Hawks were hit with a few injuries and it led to them not making any real progress in the table and rather than looking up, they were nervously looking over their shoulders.

However, after a brief time in and around the bottom three, Henley look as though they have found some stability. Currently, they occupy 10^th place in the table and they are 10 points clear of the drop zone with a game in hand. That fixture comes against relegation threatened Barnes so it gives Henley another opportunity to distance themselves from danger, but they will want to continue picking up vital points before the end of this month. Henley have won two of their four matches since the turn of the year which includes their last triumph on the road which came against Bury St Edmunds two weeks ago.

Clifton v Taunton Titans

Just as you thought that another promotion charge for Taunton Titans had come to an end, Tony Yapp’s men find a way of clawing themselves back into the hunt. That has happened on a few occasions this season which shows the character the men from Hyde Park have and now they will be keen to sustain a strong challenge in these final nine games of the season.

As things stand, the Somerset side are just six points behind the top two and this is down to the fact that they have lost just one of their last 10 games – a run which stretches back to the middle of November. Taunton’s next test is a trip to Station Road to take on Clifton as they look to not only extend their excellent recent form, but also continue their superb performances on the road. The Titans have won nine of their 11 matches on their travels this season and will feel confident about adding to that this weekend.

In their way will be a Clifton side that continues to be in and around the mid-table spots in National Two South. The Lavender and Blacks had a tough start to the season, but they have since steadied as they head into this match in ninth place and on course for their best finish in this division for three years.

The Gloucestershire side have won three of their last four matches as they prepare to welcome Taunton to Station Road tomorrow, but they have lost two of their last three games on home soil. Both of those defeat came against promotion chasing sides (Bishop’s Stortford and Old Elthamians) so Clifton will be keen to avoid a repeat of those losses this weekend as they look to put a dent in Taunton’s promotion bid.

Canterbury v London Irish Wild Geese

After such a positive run of results at the end of 2016, Canterbury are slowly slipping into their old habits. The City Men flew up the table following seven straight wins, but since the turn of the year, their inconsistences look as though they are beginning to haunt them once again.

The Kent outfit will no doubt be pleased that they are sitting seventh in the table as things stand, but just two wins from their last six matches has just taken the shine off what has been a very good season so far for Canterbury. They do have a game in hand against Bishop’s Stortford at the end of the month, but right now, they will want to return to winning ways as soon as possible. The City Men have won their last two home matches and have picked up seven wins in front of their own supporters this term.

Like Canterbury, London Irish Wild Geese have enjoyed success at home this term, but it is their away form that has held them back as they look to distance themselves from the bottom three in National Two South. The Wild Geese were promoted into the fourth tier of rugby last summer and so far they are doing just about enough to keep their heads above water as we enter the final two months of the season.

As things stand, the men from Hazlewood sit 12^th in the table and six points clear of the drop zone and that is mainly due to their impressive home results. Five of Wild Geese’s six wins this season have come at home – including an impressive victory over Redruth – so now they will be keen to translate their positive displays at home into their away fixtures. Wild Geese’s last win on their travels came against Exmouth back in September and they will be looking to double their tally on the road this weekend.

Barnes v Redingensians

It was the sort of start Barnes would’ve hoped for at the beginning of 2017. An unbeaten run of three games may not sound a lot, but it meant a great deal to Barnes who were able to move out of the relegation zone. However, two straight defeats has dragged them back into the heat of the relegation battle, but there are positive signs for the London-based side that they can stay clear of trouble this term.

Their superb and valiant performance away at league leaders Chinnor last weekend just highlighted the quality Barnes have and more importantly, the ability they have to move themselves away from danger. At present, Barnes sit three points clear of the drop zone, but they do have a game in hand away at Henley Hawks in two weeks’ time. For now, Barnes will be aiming to get a result this weekend against Redingensians and all four of their wins this season have come at home– Can they make it five tomorrow?

Redingensians head to the capital this weekend in a buoyant mood and they will be hoping to finally find some positive consistency in their results after such a mixed season so far. The Rams have won their last two matches which leaves them in eighth place in the table, but their aim now will be to string a good run of results together.

The men from Old Bath Road have not been able to do that since the October/November time where they went six games unbeaten, but the Rams may not be bothered by their patchy form. They are only five points off seventh place – where they finished last season – so it is far from worrying that Redingensians are inconsistent, but there is no doubt that they will be keen to make it three wins in a row when they go to Barnes this weekend.

Barnstaple v Exmouth

Two local rivals go head-to-head this weekend in National Two South with both Barnstaple and Exmouth playing for more than just pride at Pottingham Road on Saturday afternoon. The hosts ran Exmouth close to the title in National Three South-West last season and had to settle for a play-off place, but now it is Barum that are in a better position as they look to survive immediate relegation this term.

Barnstaple sit in 14^th place in table; two places and 10 points above Exmouth having secured five wins in this campaign, but Barum head into this clash with their Devon rivals in a wretched run of form as they have lost their last six games. With the new regulation regarding relegation from National Two this season, 14^th place may be enough to keep Barnstaple in this division, but with them being only three points from safety, a crucial win this weekend could see them move out of the drop zone.

Exmouth may be targeting 14^th place this season because it looks as though it is their only possible route to safety. Their time at this level has been a difficult one as Jon Hill’s side currently sit bottom of the table having won just two matches so far this term.

It is clear that they have struggled to adapt following promotion last year, but now Exmouth must do all they can to try and stay in this division. That is much easier said than done, but Exmouth are capable of getting a result this weekend. They beat their local rivals 38-20 back in October and also won on their last trip to Pottingham Road and a victory tomorrow could leave them just five points off 14^th place.