Promotion and relegation battles take centre stage

The first round of rearranged fixtures this season is upon us and all the games taking place this weekend hold great significance for the reminder of the campaign.

In National One, Blaydon will be aiming to distance themselves from the bottom two when they host Birmingham Moseley while argubably the pick of the fixtures this Saturday is at Brantingham Park. Hull Ionians and Macclesfield clash this weekend with both sides currently occupying the relegation spots in the third tier and both are fully aware of the importance of this match.

Preston Grasshoppers are also battling to avoid the drop in National Two North and will be desperate for a win over Leicester Lions tomorrow while Wharfedale will be looking to get their revival back on track when they host Tyendale.

Three games are occuring this Saturday in National Two South with promotion and relegation on the agendea. Bishop's Stortford have the chance to go to the summit with a victory over Canterbury while Old Elthamians will be aiming to keep the pressure on the top two as they travel to relegation threatened Worthing Raiders. Elsewhere, Barnes could move out of the bottom three if they get a result away at Henley Hawks.

National One

Blaydon v Birmingham Moseley

Last weekend's defeat against Fylde may well have been tough to take for Blaydon, but now they must move on from their loss in Lancashire when they host Birmingham Moseley this Saturday. Prior to their trip to Woodlands six days ago, Mickey Ward's side had won three of their last four matches which has helped them move out of the bottom two and as things stand, they are a point clear of the drop zone.

The Crows will be without Keith Laughlin and Trevor Davison for their game in hand this weekend as both are on England Counties duty against Scotland, but the north-east side will know any sort of result for them tomorrow could be crucial if they are to stay in this divsion. The bottom two - Hull Ionians and Macclesfield - also clash this Saturday so a thrid home win on the spin could prove pivitol for Blaydon.

With runaway leaders Hartpury College closing in on the title and promotion to the Championship, the battle for the silver medal spot is slowly starting to become a two horse race unless Birmingham Moseley can find a victory this weekend when they travel to Blaydon. Currently, Moseley are eight points behind second placed Plymouth Albion but a bonus-point win tomorrow would see them move into third place and stay in the mix for the runners-up spot.

Kevin Maggs' side did look like they were clicking back into gear after securing three straight wins, but they were left stunned last week by Darlington Mowden Park who beat Moseley 21-19 following a remarkable comeback. The visitors this weekend are missing talisman James Williams as well as Chris Brightwell, Jack Preece, George Oram and Dave Brazier as they are all at Billesley Common represnting England Counties, but Moseley will keen to produce a postive response without some key names as they continue to aim for second place.

Hull Ionians v Macclesfield

This game can be classed as a 'must win' for both sides as the bottom two in National One battle it out a Brantingham Park. The hosts Hull Ionians are in a much healthier position than Macclesfield, but the I's still know how important it is for them to claim a victory this Saturday in their quest to avoid relegation for the second successive season.

As things stand, the Yorkshire side are only a point behind Blaydon in the table and have picked up three points from their last two matches which has helped them stay in touch with the north-east side. However, Hull Ionians have won just one of their last eight games so this would be the perfect time for them to end that poor run of form.

It could well be a 'must win' game for these two teams, but for Macclesfield, you get the feeling that this could be their last chance. The Cheshire side currently sit 14 points adrift of saftey with eight matches left to play and you feel like anything other than a victory for the Blues could confine them to an immediate return to National Two North.

The postponement of this fixure earlier in the campaign caused a stir, but Head Coach Giles Heagerty is hoping that that issue is now firmly put to bed. Instead, he and his side will be focused on the more important matter of clinching their first away victory of the campaign in a match which he describes as Macc's 'most important game of the season to date.'

National Two North

Preston Grasshoppers v Leicester Lions

From the bottom club in National One, to the side propping up the division in National Two North. It has been a tough season for Preston Grasshoppers in the fourth tier of English rugby, but now they know that a victory is vital when they welcome Leicester Lions to Lightfoot Green this Saturday.

As things stand, Garth Dew's men sit nine points behind 14th place Scunthorpe and following the new regulation regarding relegation after London Welsh's demise from the Championship, that position in the table could be enough to save Hoppers. That has to be the target for the Lancashire side and their second bonus-point win of the campaign would move them right back into the hunt for survival.

As for Leicester Lions, they would have been delighted to return to winning ways against Wharfdale last weekend following their defeat to Sale FC. That 21-0 loss to the Manchester-based club saw the Lions' hopes of a top two finish suffer a serious setback and now Andy Key's side currently sit 16 points behind the Sale.

The Lions will now be looking for successive third placed finishes which again would be a very good achievement for the Midlands club. Leicester are two points clear of fourth placed Sedgley Park as things stand so a seventh away triumph of the term would see them tighten their grip on the bronze medal position.

Wharfedale v Tynedale

Wharfedale once again suffered more misery on the road last weekend which halted their move away from danger. Dale fell to their 11th straight defeat away from home and they remain on the cusp of the relegation places as we approach the penultimate month of the campaign.

The Greens are five points clear of the drop zone as things stand and the Yorkshire side will be pleased that their game in hand this weekend against Tynedale is at The Avenue because they have won their last five matches on home soil which has been the catlayst for their revival. The side relegated from National One last May have had a long-list of injuries this term, but another home victory tomorrow could well be enough for them to stay at this level for another year.

Dale maybe in great form at home, but they welcome a Tynedale side to Skipton who are in a fine fettle on their travels. Scott Lawson's men have won their last six away games which has seen them cement a position in the top-half of the table.

Tyne have not lost on the road since October 29th when they visited Otley and also come into this fixture having won four of their last five matches overall. The north-east side are playing with a lot of confidence at the minute and will provide a tough test for Wharfedale this weekend.

National Two South

Bishop's Stortford v Canterbury

Opportunity knocks for Bishop's Stortford this weekend. After falling to a home defeat against Cinderford at the beginning of the year, Andy Long's men have not put a foot wrong. Since that aforementioned loss, the men from Silver Leys have won their last five games and have been in the shadow of league leaders Chinnor, but now they have the chance to move to the summit tomorrow.

As things stand, Stortford are level on points with Chinnor ahead of this Saturday's clash with Canterbury. There has been a lot of talk about the importance of this game in hand for Stortford and a ninth home win this term could well be the defining moment in their race for the title and promotion.

After a wonderful end to 2016 for Canterbury, the City Men have been unable to find their rhythym since the turn of the year. The Kent outfit won an impressive seven games on the spin which propelled them up into the top six of this division, but they have recently slipped down the table.

Canterbury have won three of their last six games with all three of those victories coming at home, but it is far from disastrous for the men from The Marine Travel Ground. They remain in the top-half of the divsion and they come into this game against Stortford looking to do the double over the league leaders after beating them 38-34 back in October. Can they dent Stortford's title ambitions?

Worthing Raiders v Old Elthamians

Worthing Raiders boosted their survival chances last weekend as they clinched their first win in 10 matches. The Raiders edged out relegation rivals Barnstaple six days ago and now the men from Roundstone Lane are only three points from saftey as they head into their game in hand this weekend.

A long injury list is one of the main factors to why Worthing have been battling against the drop for the second consecutive term, but that win last weekend against Barum could be the turning point in their season. The Raiders welcome Old Elthamians to West Sussex looking for their seventh home win of the campaign which would see them move out of the bottom three.

There is no doubt that Old Elthamains are firmly in the hunt for promotion after an excellent response following a poor start to the New Year. Back to back defeats against rivals Bishop's Stortford and Taunton Titans left them playing catch-up, but three straight wins means they are now just nine points behind the top two with this game in hand.

A lot of work is still to be done by Gavin Lach's men, but a victory this weekend agaisnt Worthing is key to their promotion ambitions. OEs head into this fixture on the back of an excellent away win over Redruth and a similar kind of performance on the road could see the OEs close gap between themselves and the top two to only four points.

Henley Hawks v Barnes

Henley Hawks once again distanced themselves from the bottom three in National Two South last weekend. An excellent home victory over Canterbury now means the Hawks are nine points clear of the drop and they will be itching to extend that gap this Saturday when they hosts Barnes.

Henley had lost three of their last four matches prior to last Saturday, but yet another win at Dry Leas has helped them keep a healthy distance away from the relegation battle. The Hawks are again at Dry Leas this weekend where they have won four of their last five games and another triumph tomorrow could well be enough to keep the Hawks in this division next season.

Barnes will travel to Henley looking to restore some confidence as they aim to move away from trouble. Barnes have lost their last four matches including a damaging defeat away at Exmouth last Saturday which saw them slip back into the bottom three.

As things stand, the London-based side are only in the drop zone because they have won less games than Barnstaple (who currently occpuy the final confirmed saftey spot in the division). 14th place may well be enough to save Barnes this season following the new rules introduced after the exit of London Welsh from the Championship, but Barnes will be purely focused on finishing outside the bottom three. A point this weekend would see them move out of the drop zone, but the main priroty will be a first win since the middle of January for Barnes.