National One set for intriguing weekend

The final two months of the season are upon us and in National One, we could see promotion confirmed for Hartpury College this weekend while another chapter in the relegation battle awaits.

Runaway leaders Hartpury can clinch the title tomorrow if they pick up a bonus-point victory away at Rosslyn Park and second placed Plymouth Albion fail to win at home against Hull Ionians, but it is more than likely that College will have to wait an extra week or two to be crowned champions.

The aforementioned Hull Ionians are currently fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table. They are just a point adrift of safety after a fine win over relegation rivals Macclesfield last Saturday, but the I’s face a tough trip south this weekend.

Just above Hull Ionians sit a Blaydon side currently going through their best spell of form this term at just the right time. The north-east club remain outside the drop zone have an excellenr un of victories, but they are fully aware that any slip-ups between now and the end of April could well be punished.

Elsewhere in National One this weekend, Ampthill and District will be keen to continue chasing down Plymouth Albion as they aim for second spot in the table while a defeat for bottom of the table Macclesfield away at an in-form Darlington Mowden Park could be the final nail in their coffin.

Rosslyn Park v Hartpury College

Hartpury College will be aiming to take another step closer to the National One title this weekend when they travel to south-west London to take on Rosslyn Park. The runaway league leaders have racked up 114 points this term and they are 29 points clear of second placed Plymouth Albion with seven games remaining.

Mathematically, John Barnes’ side can be crowned champions this weekend. If they secure a bonus-point win (which they have done on 22 occasions this term) and Plymouth fail to beat Hull Ionians then promotion and a place in the Championship will go to College. For now though, Hartpury will just be focused on gaining a first victory at Rosslyn Park.

Two more wins is the more realistic equation for Hartpury in order for them to seal the title, but Rosslyn Park will be hoping to delay College’s party and become the first side to beat the table toppers this term.

Park lost by a 10-point margin in the reverse fixture back in November, but since then, they have been able to push on and really show the rest of the league what they are capable of. In their last nine games, Park have lost just once and come into this fixture following an impressive victory over Blackheath. Can Rosslyn Park halt the Hartpury juggernaut this weekend?

Plymouth Albion v Hull Ionians                  

Second placed Plymouth Albion welcome Hull Ionians to Brickfields tomorrow with the hosts looking to stay in control of the silver medal spot. Kieran Hallett’s side currently sit three points clear of third placed Ampthill and District and they will be keen to continue their excellent recent form this weekend.

Albion have won their last six matches and they have also lost just once at home all term. Plymouth announced this week that Tom Cowen-Dickie will be leaving the club at the end of the season to join Championship side Cornish Pirates and he and the rest of the side will want to end this current campaign strongly and finish in second place.

In contrast, Hull Ionians currently sit second bottom in National One, but they remain firmly in the hunt for survival after a crucial victory over Macclesfield last Saturday. The win keeps them a point behind Blaydon, but they must continue to pick up points between now and the end of the season.

The I’s managed to avoid the drop last term and they will be hoping lightening strikes twice this time around. The Yorkshire side face a tough ask this weekend when they take the long trip to Plymouth especially as they have won just once on their travels this term. It would certainly be the result of the season if Hull Ionians were able to get something from Brickfields.

Ampthill and District v Fylde

Ampthill and District responded from a loss at home to Hartpury College with a brilliant victory over Esher last time out to stay in the race for second place in National One. The A’s finished third last season following promotion from National Two North and they are on course to match or even better that achievement.

The Bedfordshire side have won four of their last five games and welcome Fylde to Dillingham Park having picked up nine victories on home soil this term. Ampthill know they cannot afford to drop too many points if they are to catch Plymouth so a win here would be the perfect way to kick-off March.

The visitors Fylde are one of the in-form sides heading into the final two months of the season. Paul Arnold’s men have guided themselves away from the relegation zone after a superb February where they clinched three straight victories which now means the Lancashire outfit are 14 points clear of the bottom two.

It looks as though Fylde have once again secured their place in the third tier of English rugby and they take the trip south this weekend aiming for back-to-back victories on the road. Considering eight of their nine victories have come at home, it would be another good achievement for a Fylde side growing in confidence.

Loughborough Students v Birmingham Moseley

Birmingham Moseley travel to Loughborough Students this weekend following their shock result against Blaydon last Saturday. Kevin Maggs’ side had their absences due to injuries and England Counties duty, but they were below-par against the north-east side last Saturday and they will be hoping for a reaction tomorrow.

Moseley may well have harboured ambitions of finishing in second place before last weekend, but now the men from the Midlands lie fourth in the table and eight points behind second placed Plymouth Albion. They will need to show a much greater resolve in defence this weekend and with their England players returning from their commitments, they will be eager to get back to winning ways.

The visitors are up against a Loughborough side, which has slipped down to 10^th in table but that probably doesn’t reflect their excellent season thus far. Four straight defeats against sides above them in the table has seen the Midlands outfit fall down the league standings, but they will be focussed on gaining a positive result at home this weekend.

The Students have won on nine occasions this term and six of those aforementioned victories have come on home soil. Loughborough certainly have the capabilities to cause Birmingham Moseley problems and they will be keen to show their qualities this weekend as they look to halt to their recent run of defeats.

Blaydon v Coventry

It was quite the weekend last Saturday for Blaydon. The pressure was on the north-east side six days ago as they knew the two clubs below them (Macclesfield and Hull Ionians) were facing each other, but Mickey Ward’s side did not let their relegation rivals get to them as they put in an outstanding performance to beat Birmingham Moseley at Crow Trees.

That win for Blaydon keeps them a point clear of the drop, but it was also their third win in five matches which suggests the Crows are currently undergoing a revival. This fixture with Coventry tomorrow will not be easy, but considering their recent run of form plus the fact that they have won five of their six games at home this season, Blaydon will feel confident about gaining a result this Saturday.

The story of Coventry’s season is simple; superb and sometimes unstoppable at home, but off the boil on their travels. The Midlands side has certainly seen an improvement since Rowland Winter left Cambridge and joined the club, but their away form will be a concern to him and the players even though they currently occupy sixth place in the table.

Cov are having a much better campaign than last season, but they head into this fixture with Blaydon having won just twice on the road all term. For a top end side in National One, it is something they will be eager to change and the Midlands outfit may fancy their chances of claiming a third away triumph against a relegation threatened side this weekend.

Old Albanian v Blackheath

Blackheath travel to Old Albanian this Saturday looking to improve on their performances in the reminder of this season. It has been a tough few weeks for ‘Club’ who head to Woolams tomorrow having not won in their last four games.

By the standards Blackheath set themselves earlier in the campaign, it has not been good enough from the London-based side in recent weeks and any hopes of another top three finish are now all but over. The aim for the men from Well Hall has to be to finish the last two months of the season strongly as they prepare for life under James Shanahan next term.

Shanahan is currently in charge of Old Albanian and in an interview with TRU last month, he said he was looking forward to this particular fixture as his current club takes on his new employers.

His focus is now purely on the OAs and so far, he has guided them to a top half position in the table after promotion to National One last May. As things stand, OAs sit eighth in the standings and 11 points behind seventh placed Blackheath, but a first home win in three attempts will keep them in the top eight as we begin the final two months of the season.

Darlington Mowden Park v Macclesfield

Darlington Mowden Park host Macclesfield at the Northern Echo Arena in Round 24 with the visitors knowing that immediate relegation back down to National Two North is now a distinct possibility. Their defeat to Hull Ionians last Saturday was a huge blow to their survival chances and now the Blues look as though they are on borrowed time.

However, Head Coach Giles Heagerty is still keeping the faith. He believes it is never too late for Macclesfield to pull of the great escape even though his side head north this weekend 19 points adrift of safety with seven games to go. Heagerty also told the club’s website that it is a big ask for his side to avoid relegation, but a first away win of the campaign tomorrow would give them a glimmer of hope.

As for Darlington Mowden Park, they may not have wanted a week off at the end of February. In the last nine games, DMP have picked up six victories (including wins over Ampthill and Birmingham Moseley) which has see the club move away from a potential relegation battle and up to ninth in the table.

DMP will be looking to continue their momentum this weekend, but they will also be seeking revenge against Macclesfield. The north-east side were beaten 43-16 in the reserve fixture earlier in the campaign (one of two Macc wins this term) so expect an entertaining game at the Northern Echo Arena this weekend.

Cambridge v Esher

Cambridge take on Esher this weekend looking to repeat the efforts they showed against Hartpury College two weeks ago. Ross Stewart’s men put in a sterling performance when they faced the runaway leaders last tome out and now he has called for his side to carry those positives into the final seven games of the season.

As things stand, the Blood and Sand sit 12^th in the table and 11 points clear of the bottom two. Having lost DoR Rowland Winter to Coventry last summer, Stewart has done a fine job thus far following Cambridge’s promotion last May, but he knows his side need a few more wins under their belts to secure their National One status for another term.

One place and five points behind Cambridge are Esher. The Surrey-based side have had a contrasting season and with seven games left in this campaign, the men from Moseley Road may well be starting to look nervously over their shoulders.

Currently, Esher are just six points clear of the drop and with both Blaydon and Hull Ionians picking up victories last weekend, the pressure was increased on the side immediately above the relegation places. Worryingly for Esher is the fact that they head to Volac Park this weekend having lost all 11 away matches this term and if there was ever a time in the season for them to halt this wretched run, it is now.