Relegation battle set to intensify in National One
Macclesfield face a tough trip away at Ampthill and District this Saturday
©Nick Jones
Following the disappointing expulsion of London Welsh from the Championship earlier this week, sides fearing relegation to National One have been given new hope heading into Round 20.
After the announcement made by the RFU on Tuesday that London Welsh had not met the governing body’s criteria to be granted a new licence, it has had a knock-on effect on the divisions directly below.
In terms of National One, only two teams will now be relegated this season which has handed the likes of Macclesfield, Blaydon and Hull Ionians a lifeline that they can avoid the drop.
All of the aforementioned clubs sit in the bottom three and it is Hull Ionians who occupy the all-important 14th spot as we begin the final third of the season. The I’s have a tough job on their hands this weekend when they take on runaway leaders Hartpury College and it isn’t much easier for Macclesfield and Blaydon who face high flying Ampthill and Blackheath.
Elsewhere in National One this weekend, England Head Coach Eddie Jones will be present at Rosslyn Park’s clash against Loughborough Students to see if the hosts can continue their excellent run whilst third-placed Plymouth Albion are at home to Fylde.
Other fixtures in the division see Cambridge host Birmingham Moseley, Esher travel to Coventry while Old Albanian welcome Darlington Mowden Park to Woolams.
Hull Ionians v Hartpury College
Hartpury College eased to their 19th straight win of the season last weekend against Coventry to move 27 points clear at the top of the National One table. Even with the title and promotion all but confirmed, John Barnes’ men will be keen to maintain their high level of performances this weekend when they travel to Hull Ionians.
With 11 fixtures left to play, it is only a matter of time until promotion is official for College who racked up a staggering points difference of 600 last weekend which works out to just over 30 points per match for the league leaders.
The question still remains; can Hartpury be stopped? Next to try and become the first side to halt the rampant table toppers are Hull Ionians who sit 14th in National One as things. Throughout the season 14th has been one of the relegation places, but since the exit of London Welsh from the Championship, only two clubs will be relegated from this division at the end of the campaign.
Many may see that as a safety blanket for the I’s, but the Yorkshire side are only five points clear of Blaydon and will be keen to continue to distance themselves from the north-east side over the next few weeks. Four of Hull’s five wins have come at Brantingham Park this season, but they will be carry a lot of positives into this fixture tomorrow after a valiant display against Blackheath last weekend where they suffered a late defeat. The quality to cause an upset is there, but can Hull Ionians pull off the shock of the season?
Ampthill and District v Macclesfield
One of Hull Ionians’ relegation rivals, Macclesfield, take the trip to Bedfordshire this weekend as they face an in-form Ampthill and District side. The visitors on Saturday currently sit bottom of the table and suffered a huge blow to their survival chances when they lost to Blaydon at home six days ago who are also battling to stay in this division.
That defeat for Macc does leave them 12 points from safety (due to London Welsh’s exit from the Championship) and they also have a game in hand against Hull Ionians, but wins are now a must for the Cheshire side who have secured just two victories from their 18 matches. Head Coach Giles Heagerty told BBC Radio Manchester this week that “it has been tough, but the players haven’t lost heart” and he will be hoping they can now begin to pick up points as they fight to stay in this division.
As for their hosts Ampthill, they battled back from 15-7 down against Birmingham Moseley to clinch their eighth win in their last nine games which moved them into second place in National One. With Hartpury College out of reach, the silver medal spot in this division is what a handful of teams are aiming for between now and the end of the season and the A’s will hope it is them who can finish runners-up come April.
After this weekend, they face Blackheath and Hartpury, but their focus will be on Macclesfield tomorrow. The men from Dillingham Park have won eight home fixtures this season and are firm favourites to add to that this weekend as they look to continue their impressive recent form.
Plymouth Albion v Fylde
Any hopes the likes of Ampthill and District and Plymouth Albion had of promotion as one of two teams from National One was ended this week as the RFU announced their will only be one team gaining promotion to the Championship following the demise of London Welsh. Now, the aforementioned sides will be focused on finishing in second spot and Albion will be looking to move back into the top two this weekend.
Albion return home this Saturday following a hard-fought away win over Old Albanian six days ago and they welcome Fylde to Brickfields having won nine of their 10 games on their own turf this term. Kieran Hallet’s side are level on point with Ampthill so another triumph at home will keep the pressure on the Bedfordshire side.
In terms of the visitors Fylde, they have had a torrid start to the New Year. Three straight defeats now means they are slowing getting dragged into a relegation battle and a loss against Esher last weekend did not help matters. The Lancashire side currently sit 13th in the table, but are 12 points clear of 15th placed Blaydon. The new ruling introduced by the RFU has slightly eased any nerves Paul Arnold’s men may have had, but now they just need to find a winning formula once again.
A victory away from home has eluded Fylde for some time and in fact, they head south this weekend having won just one of their last 22 games on the road – a run that stretches back to October 2015. However, the men from Woodlands know they have the capabilities to beat Plymouth after securing a superb 39-37 victory in the reserve fixture back in October.
Blaydon v Blackheath
Blackheath travel to relegation threatened Blaydon this weekend and will be boosted by the return of Geoff Griffiths. The full-back was red-carded against Hull Ionians last Saturday, but it has now been overturned and he is in line to make his 100th appearance for ‘Club’ tomorrow.
The London-based side take the long trip north this weekend aiming for their fourth win in their last five games, but they are still looking for their first away victory of the New Year. As things stand, ‘Club’ are only three points behind second placed Ampthill and District so a top two finish is certainly within their sights. A sixth away win of the season will keep them firmly in the mix.
As for Blaydon, they will be on a high heading into this home clash with Blackheath. The Crows secured what could be a pivotal win for them last weekend away at relegation rivals Macclesfield and that victory leaves Blaydon just five points from safety.
The new ruling announced by the RFU this week has made a huge difference to Blaydon’s survival chances, but only because they sealed a crucial win six days ago. Now, they must try and build on that when they host Blackheath and the north-east side have won two of their three matches on home soil this term.
Cambridge v Birmingham Moseley
Following their first home defeat of the season last weekend against Ampthill and District, fifth placed Birmingham Moseley take on Cambridge this Saturday looking to return to winning ways. The two sides met at Billesley Common back in October where Moseley thrashed Cambridge 72-14 and the visitors will be keen to put on a similar display after a few disappointing results.
Kevin Maggs’ side head to Volac Park having won just two of their last five matches which has not only ended any faint hopes of catching Hartpury College, but it is also hampering their chances of finishing second in this division. Moseley have also won just five of their nine away fixtures this term, but a sixth win on their travels this weekend will be a good end to a difficult month for the Midlands outfit.
Since Cambridge’s were humiliated by Birmingham Moseley, Ross Stewart’s men have stayed towards the mid-table places in National One, but the Blood and Sand are currently going through their worst spell of form since promotion from National Two South last May.
Cambridge have just not been able to hold on to leads which they have made for themselves and as a result, they head into this fixture on the back of five straight defeats. They are currently 15 points clear of Blaydon and with the new ruling introduced about relegation this season, it may well be a big enough gap to keep them in this division. However, Stewart and his side will be determined to return to winning ways, beginning with their fifth home triumph this weekend.
Rosslyn Park v Loughborough Students
As we approach the final third of the season in National One, one of the form sides in this division are Rosslyn Park who are in action against Loughborough Students this weekend. Park moved up to sixth in the table as they beat Darlington Mowden Park to secure their fifth victory on the bounce.
After such a slow start to this campaign, it really has been an impressive turnaround by the London-based side who host Loughborough having lost just one of their last nine games. In fact, Rosslyn have won their last six home matches and they will be confident of adding to that this weekend as they look to continue their progression up the table.
In terms of Loughborough Students, they secured yet another home victory last Saturday as they came from behind to beat Cambridge. That was the Midlands sides’ sixth win at Epinal Way this term and it is that home form which has been a key factor in Loughborough’s successful season so far.
Dave Morris’ side sit eighth in the table which is a vast improvement from their campaign last season where they flirted with relegation. Loughborough will now be keen to carry their positive home results into away matches as the Midlands outfit have not won on their travels in their last three attempts.
Coventry v Esher
Coventry once again suffered an away defeat last weekend, but are back at the Butts Park Arena this Saturday looking to continue their outstanding home form. The Midlands side come into this fixture having won 11 matches this season which leaves them sixth in the table, but nine of those victories have been at home.
Butts Park has been a fortress for Rowland Winter’s side this term with Hartpury College being the only side to come to the home of Cov and win. Coventry slipped to seventh in the table following defeat to College six days ago and are now 11 points off second place, but all they will be concerned about is returning winning ways and securing yet another victory on home soil.
Esher are the visitors to the Butts Park Arena and they will travel north this weekend in good spirits. They ended a run of four straight defeats with an important victory over Fylde last weekend which now leaves them 13 points clear of safety.
That was the Surrey sides’ sixth win of the season and all six of those triumphs have come at Moseley Road. Esher have struggled on their travels and Ricky Nebbett and his side will be keen to end a run of nine straight defeats on the road. Esher did beat Coventry earlier in the season so they certainly have the ability to secure their maiden away win this weekend.
Old Albanian v Darlington Mowden Park
Old Albanian are back at Woolams once again this weekend after a spirited performance in defeat against Plymouth Albion last Saturday. OAs were beaten 18-13, but will take positives into this clash with Darlington Mowden Park tomorrow. James Shanahan’s men come into this fixture having won just two of their last five games, but they do sit ninth in the table and they are also now 20 points clear of the relegation places.
Survival in this division would have been top of the OAs’ agenda following immediate promotion back into this division last May and it looks very likely that they will continue to be in National One next season. However, their focus will be purely on this fixture with DMP and the OAs have won five times on their own patch this term.
As for Darlington Mowden Park, a rousing comeback in the second-half against Rosslyn Park last week wasn’t enough to extend their unbeaten run as they fell to their first defeat in four matches.
That shouldn’t dampen DMP’s spirits though as an upturn form has seen them move away from the relegation places and now the north-east side are 17 points clear of 15th placed Blaydon. DMP are only three points behind Old Albanian heading into this fixture and the north-east side will be looking for a positive response this weekend as they go in search of third away victory on the spin.
