A weekend not to be missed in National One

Round 24 is a crucial weekend for teams who have hopes for promotion as Blackheath & Hartpury College face tough fixtures and defeats for both could end their Championship dream

As much as it is pivotal at the top of National One this weekend, it is once again a huge Saturday at the bottom as team continue to dig themselves out and away from trouble.

Blackheath v Richmond

Defeats to Hartpury College and Darlington Mowden Park have been damaging for Blackheath.

They have slipped down to third in the table and now find themselves 12 points off league leaders Richmond, who are their visitors this Saturday.

Richmond are certainly in the driving seat for promotion to the second tier. 10 points clear at the top with seven games remaining is a great position to be in. A win in this fixture on Saturday will only strengthen their grip on top spot and the golden ticket to the Championship.

Ampthill and District v Hartpury College

After watching Ampthill & District in National Two North, they looked like they had the capabilities to compete in National One this term, but I don't think anyone thought they would be where they are now at this stage of the season.

They are fourth in the table and have the chance to go level with their opponents, Hartpury College, with a bonus-point win on Saturday.

College are second in the table and 10 points behind the leaders, so this is a must win for them if they are to keep their title dreams alive. A win against Blackheath two weeks ago was a good start, but they must feel that they have to pick up a victory in every remaining game to stand any chance of topping this division.

Darlington Mowden Park v Plymouth Albion

If the first two fixtures were the starter and the main for a good weekend of National One rugby, then this clash in the North-East is very much the dessert.

Two of the form sides clash at the Darlington Arena in what is expected to be another close contest.

The hosts Darlington Mowden Park have won 13 of their last 14 matches including vicotries over Blackheath and Hartpury College and a win this weekend could take them to as a high as fourth in the table.

As for Albion, 10 wins from their last 11 matches as seen them surge up the table after a less than convincing start to life in National One after relegation last season. They sit fifth in the table and another victory could see them start to push for a top three finish.

Rosslyn Park v Esher

There is a fixture on Friday night this week as another two sides in the top half of the table clash when Esher visit Rosslyn Park in the London derby.

Both sides have fallen away from the front runners at different points of the season so this will all be about local pride. Park have looked good at home this term and may end Esher's recent good form.

Cinderford v Fylde

After victory against Hull Ionians 13 days ago, bottom side Cinderford have given themselves a glimmer of hope of staying in National One.

They are 11 points off safety and have Fylde as their visitors this weekend. The Lancashire side have shown snapshots of quality throughout the campaign, but inconsistency means they have spent most of the season in mid-table.

A defeat here for Cinderford could end any hopes of survival for them and with Fylde having a better away record than at home, they will have to be at their best to make it back to back wins on Saturday.

Blaydon v Coventry

Blaydon gave their survival bid a huge boost last weekend as they moved out of the relegation zone after victory over rivals Henley Hawks.

That was one of their games in hand and still with one more at their disposal, they will feel confident of avoiding the drop. Their attention will be fully on their next task this Saturday and that is against a Coventry side who have lost their last three matches.

After harbouring promotion ambitions at the start of the season, the Blues have had a tough run of things this campaign with injuries and inconsistent results. They will want to end the season strongly, starting with this weekend.

Henley Hawks v Hull Ionians

Henley Hawks may well be thinking that this fixture against Hull Ionians on Saturday is a must win.

Both sides are going through wretched runs of form with Henley sitting 10 points from safety while the I's have won just one of their last 13 games.

If the Hawks were to lose at home, that could spell the end of their time in National One after just one season while defeat for Hull Ionians will drag them right into an unwanted relegation battle.

Wharfedale v Loughborough Students

The final game sees two more sides embroiled in a fight for their National One status as Loughborough Students take on Wharfedale in the Dales.

The hosts are currently in the final relegation spot while Students are just a point ahead of them in 13th place although they do have a game in hand.

This will be a close game in Skipton and considering the spirit Wharefdale have shown in recent weeks, they will be confident of producing another positive performance on Saturday.

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