Chinnor bolster squad for National Two South climax
Chinnor have added three new players to the squad
©Aaron Bayliss
With the season now entering the final third, teams are now focusing on their end goals and for the likes of Chinnor that aim is to clinch promotion to National One.
This week, Matt Williams added more quality to his squad by bringing in three new players as we enter such a crucial part of the season as Chinnor look to continue to fend off their title rivals.
Last week a three-horse race became a four –horse race as Redruth’s impressive recent run has seen them join this promotion battle while Bishop’s Stortford and Old Elthamians continue to be the hunt.
Down at the bottom this weekend, Worthing Raiders will be eager to clinch a much needed win as they look to escape the bottom three while Barnstaple aim to recapture some of their good form which was on show at the end of last year.
Chinnor v Barnes
It has been a great week for Chinnor. An excellent performance away at Exmouth last Saturday kept them on top of National Two South while they were also able to strengthen their squad this week. Ben Pienaar (former captain of London Welsh) has agreed to join the club until the end of the season while Joe Hutchinson (Rotherham) and Josh Davies (Ealing Trailfinders) have joined on loan as Matt Williams’ side continue to push for promotion.
The talent brought into the club will only boost their title challenge and it might be exactly what Chinnor need as they look to keep Bishop’s Stortford , Redruth and Old Elthamians behind them. The Black and Whites have turned their fortunes around when it has mattered most over the last few weeks and they head into this fixture with Barnes having won their last three matches following a run of one win in five. Chinnor are also unbeaten at Kingsey Road this term having won nine of their 10 matches on home soil.
Barnes’ mini revival suffered a slight setback last weekend when they were beaten by Redruth, but the London-based side won’t have been too disheartened by that result as they still remain outside the relegation zone as things stand.
Currently, Barnes are two points clear of the bottom three and also they do have a game in hand. They head to Oxfordshire tomorrow having lost just one of their last four games – which was the best record in January for any of the sides in the current bottom six. They will be under no illusions that this fixture with Chinnor will be a very tough test, but they will be out to upset the odds as they look to steer themselves away from danger.
Bishop’s Stortford v Barnstaple
Bishop’s Stortford were able to stay hot on the heels of Chinnor last weekend following their convincing win over Clifton, but in truth, the destination of the title is still very much in their own hands. Stortford’s 15th win of the season leaves them level on points with Chinnor, but Andy Long’s men do have a game in hand against Canterbury at the end of February which means the ball is still firmly in their court.
For the ball to stay there, the men from Silver Leys need to keep producing the results we have seen for large portions of this term. They welcome Barnstaple to Hertfordshire having won six of their last seven matches and they have also won on six occasions in front of their own supporters this season. They are firm favourites to add another victory to the ‘W’ column this weekend against a Barnstaple side fighting for National Two survival.
After such a positive November, Barnstaple looked like they had finally found their feet in the fourth-tier of English rugby following promotion to this level for the first time in the club’s history last May. Steve Perry’s side were going well at home, but since the start of December, Barum have found life tough once again in National Two South.
They travel to Silver Leys tomorrow currently occupying 14th place in the table having won just one of their last seven matches. They are yet to win in 2017, but it is not all doom and gloom at Pottingham Road. Barnstaple are only three points from safety, but with the new regulations introduced regarding relegation after London Welsh’s demise, 14th place in this division maybe enough to save them. However, Steve Perry and his side will not be settling for the bare minimum and they will go to Stortford on Saturday looking to cause a shock.
Redruth v Bury St Edmunds
There was certainly no New Year hangover for Redruth last month. After a slight blip in form at the start of December, Marek Churcher’s side have hit back and produced a run of five straight wins which has left them in the hunt for promotion as we begin the final third of this dramatic National Two South season.
The Reds’ recent form has moved them up to third and they are now only four points behind the top two as we enter February. The men from the Recreation Ground host Bury St Edmunds this weekend as they look to continue their assault on the promotion places. There is no denying that Redruth are now in this title race and a ninth victory at home this weekend will keep them firmly in the mix.
If there was no hangover for Redruth, then it was a dry January for Bury St Edmunds. The Suffolk side picked up just one win in four matches last month and defeats against London Irish Wild Geese and Henley Hawks has left the Wolfpack looking over their shoulder at the relegation battle.
I don’t think Bury are embroiled in a fight for survival just yet, but they are only seven points clear of the drop zone and their inconsistent form needs to be halted sooner rather than later. It is clear that Bury do have the quality to turn their fortunes around, but it is a huge ask for them this weekend to claim their third away win of the season against a rampant Redruth side.
London Irish Wild Geese v Old Elthamians
It was yet another tough away day for London Irish Wild Geese last weekend. A 43-0 loss to Cinderford was their 10th defeat of the season on the road so they will be glad to be back at Hazlewood this weekend which has become a fortress of late.
As things stand, the current National Three London and South-East champions are 12th in the table and six points clear of the relegation zone. Their recent upturn of form at home has played a part in them creating a cushion for themselves as they have won their last three matches in front of their own supporters. They have done enough so far not be dragged into the bottom three and another home triumph this weekend would certainly boost their chances of survival in this division.
A few weeks ago, I may have said London Irish Wild Geese have a really tough challenge on their hands this weekend, but they may fancy their chances on Saturday against an Old Elthamiams side that has struggled over the last few weeks. Gavin Lach’s men have lost their last two games against Bishop’s Stortford and Taunton Titans which has dented their title ambitions and leaves the OEs fourth in the table heading into this weekend.
The Eltham side are far from out of the promotion race though. They are only six points behind the top two and importantly, they also do have a game in hand which could prove vital in their quest for a shot at National One. There is no doubt that the OEs would’ve been reeling have those aforementioned defeats, but now they need to dust themselves down and go again this weekend.
Taunton Titans v Canterbury
Once again, it was another win last weekend for Taunton Titans that which has reignited their promotion hopes for possibly the third or a fourth time this season. But that is a good thing. The Titans performed superbly away at Old Elthamians to move level on points with the OEs and six behind the current top two.
Tony Yapp would have been delighted with his sides’ response following a setback at home against Cinderford in Round 19 and now Taunton must press on if they are to continue to hunt down Chinnor and Bishop’s Stortford. Next on the agenda for the Somerset side is the visit of Canterbury to Hyde Park. Astonishingly, only four of Taunton’s 13 victories have come at home this season, but a fifth triumph in front of their own supporters tomorrow will keep their name in the hat for a possible top two finish.
A mixed month came to an end for Canterbury last weekend. Two wins and a defeat in January has kept the City Men in the top seven, but some inconsistent form is threatening to undo all the hard work they put in at the end of 2016.
The Kent side went on a run of seven straight wins, but their results have been patchy since the turn of the year and they will be keen to change that, starting with this weekend away at Taunton. Canterbury have won on four occasions on their travels this season including a win over Redruth so they do have the capabilities to cause some of the top teams problems and they’ll be hoping they can make life difficult for Taunton this Saturday.
Henley Hawks v Cinderford
January was certainly a positive month for both Henley Hawks and Cinderford; two sides relegated from National One last May. For Henley, they have created some breathing space between themselves and the bottom three in this division thanks to two wins. It may not sound a great deal, but the Hawks are currently nine points clear of the relegation zone and they also do have a game in hand.
It is the best spell of form the men from Dry Leas have been in since they lost their place in their third tier of English rugby. They host Cinderford tomorrow looking for their fourth successive home victory and their eighth win of the season overall. Henley have certainly turned a corner over the last month or so and they will be keen to keep moving forward as we begin the final third of the season.
Other than Redruth, Cinderford were the only club to pick up four straight wins in the first month of 2017. The Gloucestershire side have been mightily impressive of late and they head to Henley this weekend having won their last five matches.
Like their hosts, this is Cinderford’s best run of results since relegation last summer and they now find themselves in the top six and in a great position to end the season strongly. Cinderford have won four times this season away from Dockham Road and after what was a very tough first-half of the campaign (where they were also deducted five points for fielding ineligible players), Cinderford now look like a force to be reckoned with.
Redingensians v Exmouth
A victory over Barnstaple last weekend saw Redingensians secure their first win of 2017 and it was exactly what they needed after a tough month. Three straight defeats once again saw the inconsistency in the Rams’ season rear its head but now the men from Old Bath Road will be hoping to end the final third of this campaign positively.
As I keep mentioning in our National Two South previews, Redingensians may not mind their patchy from as they remain in eighth place; just a place behind where they finished last term. Their aim is to cement themselves in this division and the Rams are certainly on course to do just that heading into this fixture with Exmouth tomorrow. Redingensians have won four times at home this season and they will be aiming for consecutive victories for the first time since the beginning November.
Following victory against Henley Hawks and strong performances against Redruth and Chinnor, Exmouth have given themselves a glimmer of hope that they could pull off a great escape. The divisions’ bottom club are 12 points from safety, but with the demise of London Welsh from the Championship, a 14th placed finish maybe enough to save them.
That may have to be the target for Jon Hill’s side who are 10 points behind 14th placed Barnstaple and they will also be keen to carry the plus points they achieved in January into February. They begin the month with a trip to Old Bath Road searching for their first away win of the season.
Worthing Raiders v Clifton
A side that certainly needs to boost their bid to stay in this division are Worthing Raiders. The men from Roundstone Lane host Clifton this Saturday and they are going through an awful run of form. Their disappointing season has mainly been down to injuries but just one win in their last 13 matches has seen the Raiders fall into the relegation zone. They currently find themselves five points from safety, but they do have a game in hand.
That fixture will be against promotion challengers Old Elthamians but the new RFU regulations for this season may come to Worthing’s aid if they finish as the best 14th place finisher. The Raiders are only three points behind that spot, but if they are to have any chance of surviving the drop into National Three, they must start picking up victories. They have won four of their five matches at home this term so can they pull off another escape from the drop just like they did last season?
Clifton come into this weekend on the back of a heavy defeat against Bishop’s Stortford, but the South Gloucestershire side will now be looking to respond positively to that slight bump in the road. The Lavender and Blacks dropped into the bottom half of the table after last Saturday, but they have won five of their last eight games.
The men from Station Road have won four times this season on their travels and they will be hoping to return to winning ways away from home this weekend as they aim to make a it back into the top eight.
