Spirit and resolve will be key – Matt Beesley
Wharfedale prop Matt Beesley believes that the spirit and resolve of the club can see them avoid relegation from National One.
Dale currently sit one place and one point above the relegation zone having won just four matches this season.
“Clearly it has been tough for us this season, but we need to keep on fighting,” Beesley told TRU.
“At the start of the season, we got our new coach in, Tom McGee, and it has taken a bit of time for us to get used to the style of play, but now we must continue to work together and move away from this tough run we have been under.”
The England Students and Counties player urged his team to focus on every game as it comes rather than looking too far head starting with the visit of second placed Blackheath on Saturday.
“We have 10 games left in our season, but we really aren’t focusing on who we have got in a few weeks’ time and what teams around us are doing,” Beesley said.
“I know it’s a cliché, but we are just concentrating on our next game. We have played a lot of the top teams already this season and that has been tough, but if we remain positive then we can produce a good performance on Saturday.
“The club is built on spirit with everyone working as one from the juniors all the way up to the 1st XV and that asset will hold us in good stead for the run in.”
Wharefedale’s opponents this weekend are certainly in a title race as they are currently sit six points off leaders Richmond with a game in hand.
Club have won 16 games this season and currently are on a nine match unbeaten run which stretches back to November while Dale have tasted victory just once in their last six games.
It is arguably their best spell of the season and Beesley feels that home advantage could be a huge positive for his side against an in-form Blackheath.
The former Sandbach and Leeds Beckett man added: “I always like to back us at home. We are capable of pulling off a result with the help of our crowd which is second to none.
“Blackheath play a very good brand of rugby, but I think that we can have the edge. The first 10 minutes is our priority on Saturday and if we get that right, then it’s a positive start to what we are setting out to achieve."
Elsewhere in National One this week, Richmond, Hartpury College and Plymouth Albion are also facing sides towards the bottom half of the division which again highlights what a tough weekend it will be for teams trying to avoid relegation.
Richmond v Cinderford
League leaders Richmond have bottom side Cinderford visiting them on Saturday. Richmond are 57 points clear of Cinderford and at home, the odds are firmly stacked against Cinderford who are currently 10 points from safety.
A win for Richmond would maintain their six point lead over Blackheath regardless of what Club do in Skipton.
Hartpury College v Henley Hawks
In their last two games against relegation threatened sides, Hartpury College after scored a combined total of 109 points and once again they face a team down at the bottom this weekend.
Henley Hawks are the opponents, but they will be in a more confident mood coming into this clash after their crucial win last Saturday over Loughborough Students which leaves them three points from safety as it stands.
There no doubt that College, who are level on points with Blackheath, will be firm favourites for a bonus point win to keep the pressure on the top two.
Plymouth Albion v Blaydon
After winning eight of their last nine games Plymouth Albion have surged up the table and are now fourth as they prepare to welcome Blaydon this Saturday.
Blaydon’s away record has not been great this season which is one of the reasons why they sit 14th in the league at the moment. They are only one point from safety though, with a game in hand over Wharfedale. They have a depleted side travelling down to Plymouth this weekend which makes their task even harder than it was before.
Hull Ionians v Esher
Hull Ionians are slowly slipping towards the danger zone at present. Granted, they are still nine points clear of 14th place, but they must start to turn their positive recent performances into wins if they are to keep their distance from the bottom three.
They welcome Esher to Humberside this weekend whose title dreams have faded away over the past few weeks which has seen them drop to fifth. This will be an intriguing encounter a Brantingham Park on Saturday.
Ampthill and District v Rosslyn Park
Ampthill and District were promoted with Hull Ionians into this division from National Two North last term, and it has been the A’s that have fared better thus far.
Ampthill occupy 6th place currently and host Rosslyn Park this Saturday. Park have struggled for consistency this season but do have the quality to match the top teams as we have seen on occasions during this campaign. A difficult one to predict between two well matched sides.
Loughborough Students v Darlington Mowden Park
I know I say it every week, but Darlington Mowden Park are in blistering form. 10 straight wins certainly gives them the upper hand when they travel down to play Loughborough Students this weekend who are a side seven points above the bottom three.
Students suffered a setback last week against Henley, but they will need to be at their best to take anything from DMP who may have their eyes set on a top our finish this season.
Fylde v Coventry
Fylde return to Woodlands this weekend after two back to back away matches. The north-west side beat Hull Ionians, but narrowly lost to Rosslyn Park last week and will be hoping erase the memories of their last home match against Plymouth Albion where they let a lead slip in the final 20 minutes.
Inconsistency has been there problem this season and the same term applies to Coventry who sit one place and two points above Fylde in the table. The Blues will be looking to get revenge for the home loss earlier in the season as they go in search of their 10th win of the campaign.
