Nottingham-v- Pertemps Bees

02/03/2005 (3PM)

Ireland Avenue, Nottingham

Bees will be near full strength for their match against Nottingham at Ireland Avenue tomorrow. Captain Ed Orgee is likely to return in the second row after having survived twenty minutes last weekend against Coventry. Nick Baxter will continue on his wing as he looks to get ever closer to the 150 tries mark. Backo signed on again for next season during the week and so will hope to be a regular fixture at Sharmans Cross for at least one more season.

Simon Martin looks set to return to the squad following his severe knee injury in October. The former Coventry centre was set to become a regular in the Bees side before injury curtailed his season somewhat. He now hopes to return with a bang!

Nottingham will not be a push-over, in fact they may look to push-over themselves! This forward orientated side have actually scored more tries than Bees this season and are certainly no slouches. Bees will certainly have a fight on their hands tomorrow. Nottingham are unchanged
Team: David Jackson; Josh Kay, Tim Molenaar, Tom Kirk, Joe Van Den Berg; Neil Stenhouse, Kevin Brennan; Tonga Lea’aetoa, Alex Loney, Nigel Hall, Dan Moore, Lee Morley, Craig Hammond (capt), Mark Easter, Nic Fitisemanu.

Replacements: Andy Fuller, Neil Fowkes, Howard Quigley, Richard Lloyd, Alan Cook, Ben Thompson, Warren Coles.

Steve McCormack’s Preview:

Nottingham host Pertemps Bees at Ireland Avenue on Saturday. Two teams whose seasons have fizzled out after early promise and have only won one match between them in the last 12 played.

Nottingham lost at home to Bedford last week and stayed in 11^th place in the league. Although they have only won one of their last 10 matches, they have the easiest run in of anyone, and with Bees and London Welsh to visit Nottingham, and away trips to Sedgley Park and Orrell, they should add a couple of wins to their overall total. They have played 11 matches at home this season and beaten Henley, Orrell, Rotherham and Sedgley Park.

Pertemps Bees maintained their recent poor run with a 19-15 home loss at the hands of Coventry on Saturday. This was their sixth defeat on the run and it is only due to their excellent start of the season that they are as high as ninth place. They have played 11 matches away from home this season and only beaten the bottom three. Can they add the scalps of fourth bottom to this list?

In their only other league meeting for four years, Nottingham pulled off a surprise at Sharmans Cross Road in November winning 20-13. Nottingham have yet to record a league double against any opposition in National One. They may achieve their first on Saturday.

Steve's Prediction: Nottingham to win by 5 points

My prediction: Nottingham 13-22 Bees

Form Guide:

Pertemps Bees: l l l l l

Nottingham: l w l l l

Comparisons:

Other Matches:

Henley          v        Orrell  

Bedford         v        Plymouth Albion       

Exeter           v        Sedgley Park

Otley            v        Coventry        

Sunday

Pirates          v        London Welsh          

Bristol           v        Rotherham    

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