Old Albanian keen to bounce back as they look to remain top

The Old Albanian’s title chances were dealt a blow last weekend as second placed Cambridge defeated them at Woolmans, meaning the gap at the top is now just two points as we enter Round 20 of this sensational National Two South season.

The OA’s will be looking to respond from last week’s disappointment, but they will have to achieve what no side has done yet this season – win at third placed Bishops Stortford. That could play very nicely into Cambridge’s hands but it won’t be easy for them either as they host the in-form side in the division, Canterbury.

Down at the bottom, eight points separates 15^th placed the Redingensians and 11^th placed Dorking so expect more twists and turns in this final third of the season as sides fight for their National Two survival.

Bishops Stortford v Old Albanian

The Old Albanian may have taken a while to hit top gear in National Two South this season, but they have certainly found their stride now. The OA’s have won 13 of their last 14 matches and as a result, occupy top spot in the table and are two points clear of second placed Cambridge.

The OA’s were relegated from National One last year and are certainly on course for a return to the third tier of English rugby as things stand. However, their title ambitions suffered a blow last week as they were beaten by Cambridge at home which meant the race for the National Two South crown is well and truly back on. 

An away trip to Bishops Stortford is probably the toughest fixture the Old Albanian could have had on the back of that narrow defeat to Cambridge. Stortford are once again fighting for promotion this year and have won all nine of their matches at Silver Leys this season.

Having said that, they do have a lot of work to do if they are to reach a play-off place. Currently, Stortford are 11 points off the top two and they occupy third in the table. An unbeaten run of eight games came to an end last week as they lost away at Redruth so they will be itching to get back to winning ways this Saturday.

Cambridge v Canterbury

Cambridge are hoping to gain promotion to National One this season after what has been a wonderful campaign for them thus far. The Blood and Sand finished seventh last year, but they’ve built on that and performed above expectations as they find themselves in the thick of a title race.

Recent form has been great from Cambridge. They have won their last three games, a run that has significantly included a win over table-topping Old Albanian as well as victories over Redruth and Chinnor. Expect them to be oozing with confidence this weekend at Volac Park.

Canterbury are the form side in National Two South at the moment. After winning just four of their first 15 games of the season, the City Men found themselves in the bottom three as they brought in the New Year. However, four straight wins in January has propelled them up to 10^th in the table and more importantly, nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Wins against the sides around them including the Redingensians, Southend Saxons and Bury St Edmunds have been key to their recent good form and I think it is fair to say that this trip to Cambridge on Saturday will be their toughest test yet in 2016. Canterbury have won four of their nine games on the road this term.

Bury St Edmunds v Taunton Titans

Bury St Edmunds were promoted into the fourth tier last season but unfortunately, it’s looking increasingly likely that they could go straight back down this term if they are not careful. They sit in 12^th place as it stands; five points clear of the drop zone.

Although Bury have won just twice in their last eight games, they have enjoyed their campaign so far including wins against Worthing and Dorking, but they must halt their current slide otherwise their enjoyment will start to turn into desperation. Five of Bury’s seven wins this season have come at home.

Taunton are once again having a strong season after finishing third last term. They have not been out of the top four this campaign due to fact they have performed well for the majority of the season. They currently sit in fourth place, 13 points off the play-off place, but they do have a game in hand.

Having led the way for the first seven weeks of the campaign, the Titians had dropped off after suffering two defeats from their last four games before last Saturday. However, they found their ruthless edge once again six days ago as they thrashed Bury’s relegation rivals, Southend Saxons, so Taunton are bound to be in a ruthless frame of mind once again this Saturday.

Chinnor v Redruth

Chinnor are a club which I don’t think would’ve thought they’d be fighting off relegation this season. The club have not been in great form all campaign after finishing sixth last term and as a result, Chinnor find themselves 13^th place and one point clear of the bottom three at this stage.

They will no doubt be hoping that a vital win over Dorking last weekend is the catalyst they need to move away from the drop zone considering Chinnor have won just five of their 19 matches so far this term. They will certainly take confidence into this clash with Redruth on Saturday after their win last week, as they go in search of their fourth home triumph of the season.

Redruth are fighting towards the opposite end of the division the season. The club have never really been in the promotion race this campaign, but if they can continue to string results together, they’ll be in with a slim chance of reaching the play-off. The Reds currently sit fifth in the table and 18 points off second place.

With the men from the Rec receiving plenty of praise for their excellent performances, they’ll no doubt see this away fixture as an opportunity to stretch their run to five wins from their last six matches, particularly given Chinnor’s league position.

Launceston v Old Elthamians

It is a season to forget for Launceston. Whilst their opponents this weekend have been in the top half for the majority of this campaign, Launceston have been bottom of the division all season long and their National Two South status is now looking critical.

They are still without a win after their 17 matches this season having drawn only one of those games. They sit 25 points from safety as we enter the final third of the season and I now think that Launceston will need a miracle to stay in the fourth tier of English rugby.

The Old Elthamians are looking to put the problem they suffered towards the end of 2015 behind them as they set their sights on cementing their place in the top eight of National Two South once again. The OE’s endured three straight defeats heading into the New Year, but they’ve now recovered from that.

Three wins and a draw in January leaves the OE’s sixth in the table  and they come into this clash with Launceston looking for their fifth away win of the season. They will feel confident of achieving that against the divisions bottom club, but also because they have won their last two games on the road.

Redingensians v Clifton

The Redingensians are in a bad run of form at the moment. After the Rams were promoted into this division last year, life in National Two South has been characterised by long spells of winless form and the odd flurry of triumphs and unfortunately for the Berkshire side, they’re currently on a run of no victories in their last four matches.

Having won three of their final five matches before Christmas, the Redingensians are yet to win in 2016 which has seen them slip into the relegation zone. The Rams are only two points from safety so they will want to gain their first win of the New Year in front of their own supporters this weekend.

Clifton’s season has gone well thus far. The South Gloucestershire side will no doubt have been hoping for an improvement on their 12^th place finish of last season and that is exactly what has happened as they currently find themselves seventh in the table.

The first three months of the campaign were excellent for Clifton as they entered November in the top four, but from there, their form dipped massively and as a result, won just two of their next 10 matches. However, they go to Old Bath Road in good spirits this weekend after halting their slide down the table following a win over Launceston last weekend and they will hope they can build upon that this Saturday.

Dorking v Barnes

Dorking’s season has been an inconsistent one so far. They have found it tough to gain any momentum this campaign after such a strong term last year. Currently, Dorking sit 11^th in the table and find themselves seven points off a top half spot, but only seven points ahead of the relegation zone.

In order to move away from danger, Dorking know that a strong run of form is important in the final third of this season and if they were to attain those results, then that would be a great achievement for the side that have won just seven games this campaign.

In contrast, Barnes are very much enjoying their season in National Two South this term. Last year, they were promoted via the National Three South play-off after a win over Exmouth and many may have thought they were set for a relegation battle, but this season they’re currently occupying eighth spot in the table.

As things stand, Barnes are 14 points clear of the bottom three and have lost just two of their last eight matches. Three of those games have ended in a draw and their last two away clashes have both ended with Barnes coming from behind to snatch a share of the points. I am sure they will be hoping for a much less stressful afternoon on Saturday as they look for their eighth win of the season.

Southend Saxons v Worthing Raiders

Southend Saxons have endured a mixed season so far. The club stay up on the final day of last term by the skin of their teeth, but did start this campaign rather well after suffering just one defeat in their first seven matches.

However, things have fallen dramatically for Southend since then. Other than Launceston, they currently have the worse form in the league as they have now won just one of their last 10 matches – a run which stretches back to the beginning of November. As a result, they are now into the bottom three and a point from safety, but Southend must halt this run quickly otherwise they will be in serious trouble.

Worthing Raiders’ season has been one of highs and lows already. The Raiders finished fifth last year after a strong second half of the campaign, but after potentially harbouring hopes of a promotion push this term, Worthing’s immediate aims are to finish this current season in the top half.

The Raiders are sitting ninth in the table after a patchy first 15 games, but they travel down to Southend are on an unbeaten run of three games which includes wins over relegation threatened the Redingensians and Launceston. Worthing will be hoping they can make it a hat-trick of wins against sides battling relegation as they look to continue their recent good form.